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ON THE HIGHWAY 



ON THE HIGHWAY 



THE BIBLE FOR THE CHILDREN, FROM 
GENESIS TO REVELATION. ILLUSTRATED 
BY OBJECT-LESSONS, CHALK-TALKS, SAND- 
BOARD, AND STORIES FOR THE USE OF 
JUNIOR WORKERS, PRIMARY TEACHERS, 
AND MOTHERS. ALSO FOR SUPPLEMEN- 
TARY WORK. 



BY 

ELLA N. WOOD 

AUTHOR OP "CHALK," "OBJECT-LESSONS FOR JUNIOR WORK," ETC. 



"And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called 
the way of holiness.*' 



UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR 
BOSTON CHICAGO 






& 



COPYRIGHTED, 1921, BY THE 
UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR 



JAN -7 1922 



'A653588 



INTRODUCTION 

"And behold there was a very stately palace 
before him, the name of which was Beautiful; and 
it stood by the highway-side." 

The feet are very small when they start out on 
the highway towards the Palace Beautiful, and 
need the guidance of those who have travelled far. 
Let us take care that before they meet their 
Apollyon they will be walking side by side with 
the Master. 

It has been my endeavor, through picture and 
story, to make the people they meet "on the high- 
way" so real, God so loving, and Christ so helpful, 
that the study of the Bible will become a joy. 

In planning this book it has been my thought 
that to study it lesson by lesson would not only 
give the child a comprehensive view of the Bible, 
but bring clearly before his mind in a simplified 
manner its vital truths. 

Many of these lessons were published in "Junior 

Topics Outlined," which is now out of print; but 

they have been worked over, and, I trust made 

better and more adaptable to all grades. 

Ella N. Wood 
East Lansing, Mich. 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Introduction v 

PART I 

OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

The Bible 3 

God Our Creator 5 

God's Loving Care 8 

A Journey to Canaan 10 

How God Saved a Boy 12 

The Story of a Boy and His Father 14 

A Bad Bargain 16 

The First Tithe 18 

A Changed Name 20 

Joseph: His Great Trial 22 

Joseph Returns Good for Evil 24 

A Little Basket 26 

God's Holy Places 29 

An Unwilling Servant 31 

Grumbling 34 

The Sabbath Commandment 36 

Thou Shalt Nots . 37 

Man's Faith and God's Promise 38 

Giants and Grasshoppers 40 

A Cord of Blue 42 

Serpents 44 

An Animal that Talked 47 

A Man of Courage 49 

A Cord of Red 51 

Courage, and a Big Noise 53 

vii 



viii CONTENTS 

Gideon and His Brave Men 56 

Samson 58 

Ruth, a Loving Daughter 60 

A Boy Who Worked for God 62 

A Little Messenger -. 64 

A King God Chose 66 

A Prince Who was True 68 

God's Test 70 

A Boy and a Giant 72 

A Royal Friendship 74 

A Gift that God Likes 77 

The Lord's House 79 

God's Birds 82 

An Unhappy King 84 

Perseverance 86 

The Brave Queen 88 

mordecai the faithful 90 

The Bible-lover's Psalm 91 

The Twenty-third Psalm 93 

A Psalm of Praise 95 

A Lesson from the Longest Psalm 97 

Trust 98 

Our Words 100 

Known by Our Deeds 103 

Remember Thy Creator 105 

The Little Foxes 106 

God's Prophets and Their Message 107 

Isaiah Tells about Christ 109 

The Sabbath: How Make It a Day of Delight Ill 

Called of God: Jeremiah, Ourselves 113 

Our Common Blessings 115 

How to Get a New Heart 117 

How One Boy Showed His Colors 118 

A Lions' Den 120 

Short-lived Goodness 122 



CONTENTS ix 

A Boy who Shirked 124 

The Last Journey in the Old Testament 125 

PART II 

NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

What the Wise Men Found 129 

The Boy Jesus 131 

Christ Choosing His Helpers 133 

A Beautiful Well 135 

Christ and the Nobleman's Son 138 

Christ's Beatitudes 140 

"A Shine-out " Lesson 142 

The Kind of Praying Jesus Likes 144 

The Sabbath Day 146 

Four Kinds of People 147 

Jesus Feeds the Hungry 148 

A Lesson in Forgiveness 150 

Jesus in Our Homes 152 

Our Neighbors 154 

Jesus, the Good Shepherd 157 

The Children's Hosannas 159 

The Greatest Commandment 161 

Our Talents 163 

Spring Flowers and the Risen Christ 167 

A Shipwreck 170 

How Christ Wants Us to Care for Our Bodies .... 172 

Talking to God 174 

Making the Best of Things 177 

How to Keep Sweet 179 

A Missionary Lesson 181 

What Jesus Bore for Us 183 

Vanity Fair 185 

Heaven 187 



PART ONE 
OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 



ON THE HIGHWAY 



OUR BIBLE 

(John 5:39) 

Prepare an object-lesson as follows: 

Cut a cross, a heart, an anchor, a crown, and a 
torch out of white cardboard. These should be 
about four inches long and wide in proportion. 
On the cross print the reference Luke 9:23; on 
the anchor, 1 Tim. 6: 12; on the heart, Matt. 5:8; 
on the crown, 1 Pet. 5:4; on the torch, Prov. 5:1. 

Cut from a magazine the picture of a house or 
"mansion." Mount this on cardboard, and print 
under it the reference John 14 : 2. Cover a square 
board or heavy pasteboard with black, and tack 
these objects on it; put a string in the top corner 
of the board by which to hang it on the wall. If 
this is made with care, it will be a very pretty 
wall-piece, and can be left on the wall throughout 
the year. 

At the previous lesson ask the pupils to bring 
their Bibles. After the topic is announced and the 



4 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Scripture read ask the pupils to rise, fall into line, 
and march to an appropriate song, forming a circle 
around the table. Let each pupil lay his Bible on 
the table; then ask that all heads be bowed and 
that the pupils ask God to help them to love their 
Bible and obey its commands. The pupils will 
again march to the table, take their Bibles, and go 
to their seats. 

Have the pupils turn to the reference on the cross 
and read it in concert. By a few careful questions 
draw from them what it stands for, what it means 
to "follow Christ." Also lead them to tell you all 
they can about the cross and its relation to us. 
Proceed in this way with each object, being careful 
to draw from the pupils the lesson the Bible gives 
us regarding it. If there is time, close with a short 
Bible drill, such as naming the books of the Bibte. 
This can be done in different ways. One way 
would be to divide the class into sides. Let one 
side name all the books in the Old Testament 
they can remember, and the other side the books 
of the New Testament. Another way is to give 
each child one or two letters of the alphabet and let 
him name the books beginning with his letter. 



GOD OUR CREATOR 

(Gen. 1:1-31) 

We will illustrate this lesson by combining a 
chalk-talk and a sand-board object-lesson. The 
materials needed will be, blackboard and chalk, 
a sand-board (if you have none, make one by tack- 
ing some yardsticks or other narrow strips around 
a bread-board or small table), some moist sand, 
small stones, moss or turf, some small branches of 
trees, flowers, a small pail of water, a cup or shallow 
dish, a yard of light-blue cheese-cloth, and some 
stars and a moon cut from silver or white paper. 
Your boys will furnish you with sand, branches, 
etc.; and the girls will prepare stars, etc. The 
more you let the children help you, the more in- 
terested they will become. 

The purpose of this lesson is to give the pupils 
an idea of God's great goodness and wisdom in 
planning the world. 

First write on the blackboard the words "In 
the beginning was God." After the words draw 
a brace, and let the pupils suggest the different 
names that have been applied to God; as they are 

5 



6 ON THE HIGHWAY 

named, write them in the brace. It will work out 
something like this: 



IN THE BEGINNING WAS GOD 



f CREATOR 
LORD 
JEHOVAH 
FATHER 
FRIEND 
etc. 



If you have the time, the blackboard lesson may 
be carried out farther by writing questions as 
follows: 

What is God? 

Where is God? 

What did God make? 

What was God's greatest work? 

How does God take care of the things He has 
made? 

A brace may be drawn after each question and 
filled by answers suggested by the pupils. 

Have the sand placed on the sand-board in an 
irregular pile. This will represent the earth as 
"waste and void" (let the Bible verses be read 
carefully); tell the story of creation; or, better 
still, draw it from the pupils. Show the water; 
and, as you talk or question, let the sand be spread i 
on the board, forming hills, mountains, valleys. | 
Sink the cup, and fill it with water to represent a 
lake. If you can secure a piece of mirror, lay it in 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 7 

the sand and form a river; then, as your story- 
grows, plant the trees and flowers. If some little 
Noah's-ark animals and people can be provided, 
the story can be carried out to the creation of 
animal life and man. At just the right time have 
the cheese-cloth stretched over the board about 
two feet above, the moon and stars having been 
previously arranged upon it. This represents the 
heavens. 

Place special emphasis on the fact that God 
created all these things out of nothing; and this 
shows His infinite wisdom and wonderful power. 
No one but God could do this. We can make 
things, but we cannot create things. 

Make clear to your class that the last and best 
thing that God created was man, and that He 
made man in His own image. Lead the pupils to 
talk of the wonderful way in which they are made. 
Let them examine their hands, and study them; 
also the eye, etc. This lesson may be enlarged on 
as much as the teacher sees fit. 



GOD'S LOVING CARE 

(Gen. 8: 1-4, 15-20) 

For an object-lesson cut a cross out of white 
blotting-paper. It should be just large enough to 
stand upright in an ordinary plain glass tumbler. 
Saturate it with red ink or Diamond dye. Take 
this and a glass tumbler to the meeting. 

Make a large brace on the blackboard, and in 
front of it write the words "How God saves." 
Show a glass of water. Lead the pupils to tell of 
some of the uses of water, also of its destructive 
power. Mention the St. Louis flood, the rapid 
rivers after the heavy rains, etc. 

Speak of how many a drink of water has saved 
a life. Then lead the thought to how God saved 
Noah from the water. Have one of the pupils fill 
the brace with words suggested by the pupils as 
they name ways in which God cares for people 
and saves them. 

Ask the pupils to name the greatest and best thing 
God ever did to save His people. Show the red 
cross. They will at once name Jesus. Ask them 
to repeat John 3: 16 in concert. 

8 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 9 

Hold up the glass of water. We will call that 
"our lives." Place the cross in the glass. The 
effect will be almost magical. The water will at 
once take a bright red color with the cross showing 
through. The lesson is easily drawn that, when 
we take God's gifts into our lives, they are at once 
made beautiful, through and through, by the 
blood of Jesus Christ. Ask that all heads be bowed 
and each pupil ask that God will save him and help 
him to love Jesus. 



A JOURNEY TO CANAAN 

(Gen. 12:6-9; 13:1-5) 

To-day we have the story of Abraham as he 
went on his journey to Canaan as God had told 
him to do. One thought to impress is that he 
took God with him. 

When we go on a journey, we take everything 
with us we think we shall need — a clothes-brush, 
to keep our clothes clean; a tooth-brush that we 
may keep our teeth clean; comb and brush, etc. 
These are all right, and we should never forget 
to take such things with us; but, when we pack 
our satchels, we should not forget to put in the one 
thing that will help us to keep our hearts clean. 
The pupils will tell you that this one thing is our 
Bible. Abraham did not have any Bible to take, 
but he stopped right in the middle of his journey. 
(Draw a large tree with a man under it and a tent 
near by.) Lead the pupils to tell the story from 
this point. (Draw an altar.) Also lead the pupils 
to see that we do not have to build an altar in 
order to honor God. Then ask how we can honor 
God. 

10 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 11 

Outline a small church on the blackboard; make 
a brace in front of it; ask the pupils to fill the 
brace with ways in which we may honor God in 
church. Draw a schoolhouse, playground, home, 
etc., and treat them as above described. 



HOW GOD SAVED A BOY 

(Gen. 21:14-20) 

Once upon a time there were two little boys. 
(Draw some figures on the blackboard to represent 
two boys.) One of them was named Isaac; the 
other, Ishmael. (Write the names over the boys.) 
Isaac was the son of Sarah, Abraham's wife; and 
Ishmael was the son of Hagar, a bondwoman. 
Sarah did not like Hagar very well; so she told 
Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away. So 
one day Hagar took her little boy and a bottle of 
water, and wandered away into the wilderness. 
(Draw some trees and figures to represent Hagar 
and Ishmael.) 

Now, Hagar thought she did not have a friend 
in all the world. She was very lonely, and her 
heart was sad. She did not know what would 
become of her little boy. After a while all the 
water in the bottle was gone, and there was no 
water to be had in the wilderness. She knew her 
boy must die, and with her heart breaking she laid 
him under a shady tree (draw a small tree with 
the boy lying under it), and went away so that 

12 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 13 

she might not see him suffer and die. She sat down 
and cried. 

This poor, heartbroken woman was not alone. 
"God heard the voice of the lad," and sent an 
angel out of heaven to comfort her. (Write the 
word "God" on the blackboard, and outline two 
wings to represent the angel. Ask the pupils to 
name other incidents where God sent an angel.) 
The angel told Hagar to go and get her little boy 
and hold him, for he would make a great nation. 
Then Hagar opened her eyes, and saw before her 
a well of water. (Draw a well.) O joy! now her 
boy could live. She hastened to the well, and 
filled the bottle, and gave the poor suffering boy 
a drink. "And God was with the lad; and he 
grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an 
archer." (Draw the boy with a bow and arrow.) 

The story will be much more interesting if in- 
stead of being told or read it is drawn from the 
pupils. As they tell the story, guided by yourself, 
sketch the pictures. 

The lesson to impress is that God cares for us 
and will always provide for us. 



THE STORY OF A BRAVE BOY AND 
HIS FATHER 

(Gen. 22:1-14; Heb. 11:17, 18) 

Arrange with your sunshine committee or class 
to meet at your home on Saturday afternoon and 
bring with them all the cut flowers they can secure. 

Prepare a number of slips of paper with texts 
about faith written on them. The slips should be 
about an inch wide and six inches long. Tie a bit 
of sand-silk thread in one end of each, and fold 
them as small as possible. 

Have the flowers made up into little bouquets, 
and tie one of the slips in the centre of each. 

Have your sand-board prepared with moist 
sand. Scoop out the sand in the shape of a hollow 
anchor; place the little bouquets in the groove 
and press the sand about them. Outline the word 
"Faith" beneath the anchor with pansies or other 
small flowers. 

Have the lesson story told by the pupils. Write 
the words "Obedience" and "Faith" on the black- 
board. Impress the lesson of faith in God. 

Have the pupils come forward, one at a time, 
14 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 15 

take a bunch of flowers from the sand-board, read 
the slip, and place the flowers in a basket. Have 
each text discussed after it is read. 

The flowers may be taken to the hospital or to 
the sick and shut-in by a committee of the pupils. 
The following texts may be used on the slips. 
Heb. 6: 19. John 20: 29. Gal. 3: 22. 

Matt. 8: 13. Heb. 10: 22. Prov. 28: 25. 

Mark 9 : 23. Heb. 12:2. Prov. 29 : 25. 

Mark 1 1 : 24. 1 John 3 : 23. Prov. 30 : 5. 

Luke 17:6. 1 John 5 : 14. Ps. 55 : 22. 

John 14 : 1. Rev. 3 : 20. Ps. 40 : 4. 

John 14: 12. Acts 10: 43. Ps. 37: 3-7. 

John 20: 27. 



A BAD BARGAIN 

(Gen. 25:27-34; Phil. 4:8) 

Make a heart of white cardboard or heavy paper. 
It should be about six inches across. Print on it 
the words "Our Birthright.'* Take the following 
objects to the meeting: Some vegetables in a dish 
(these may be made red by putting in with them 
pieces of a beet), a bottle half full of cold tea, a 
playing-card, a fashion-book, a cigarette, and a 
yellow-backed novel. 

First of all make clear to the pupils what Esau's 
birthright was. 

The first-born among the Jews enjoyed special 
privileges among his brethren. Among these were 
a special consecration to the Lord to serve as a 
priest, greater dignity, a double portion of his 
father's estate, and authority in his father's absence. 

Follow this with the thought of our birthright. 
Have one of the pupils read Gen. 1: 27, and another 
one, John 1 : 12. Show the white heart, and lead 
the pupils to see that God gives every boy and girl 
this birthright. 

Show the dish of vegetables. This represents the 
16 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 17 

"mess of pottage" that Esau took for his birth- 
right. In a moment of physical weakness and 
temptation he sold the best thing he had for a dish 
of food that he could eat in a few minutes. Then 
lead the thought to ways in which people sell their 
birthrights. Show the bottle which represents 
liquor, the playing-card, the cigarette, the fashion- 
book, etc. People sell their birthrights for a glass 
of beer, a game of cards, a cigarette. Women sell 
their souls for fashion, and men and women often 
barter their birthrights for a dance or an hour's 
pleasure. A boy often bargains with Satan in a 
game for keeps, for it is the first step in gambling. 

Ask the pupils what we can put in the place of 
these things. Have the second reference of the 
lesson read, and lead the pupils to discuss each 
virtue mentioned. 

Show a Bible, and tell the pupils that there is a 
book called the New Testament, which tells us how 
to take care of our birthright. Lead them to re- 
call some of Christ's teachings in His Sermon on 
the Mount, Matt. 5-7. 

Close with a prayer service in which the pupils 
will ask God to help them to value their birthrights 
above everything. 



THE FIRST TITHE 

(Gen. 28: 12-22) 

Illustrate the one-tenth by showing ten dimes. 
One of them is a tenth. If we had but a dollar, 
and wanted to give a tithe to the Lord, we should 
give ten cents. If we had ten cents, one cent would 
be our tithe. 

Make clear to the pupils that if they have a 
regular income, if they sell papers, or if mother 
pays them for errands, if father gives them a certain 
sum of money each week for their own, and they 
want to give a tenth of it to the Lord, they must 
divide the amount by ten, and the quotient will 
be their tithe. If it seems wise at this time, lead 
your pupils to become members of the Tenth 
Legion. By sending to the United Society of 
Christian Endeavor, 41 Mt. Vernon Street, Boston, 
Mass., you can secure literature on this subject. 

Tithing-crosses, holding ten dimes, can be had 
by sending to the Christian Finance Association, 
New York, N. Y. A postal card to this address 
will secure you a catalogue of these. 

The lesson that money is not the only thing we 
18 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 19 

can give the Lord should be made very clear. We 
should give of our substance to those who are 
needy; we should give our sympathy to the lame 
and afflicted. There are a hundred things we can 
give in the way of help and service. 

The following references may be used as a Bible 
reading on the topic: 

1 Chron. 29: 5. Acts 20: 35. 

Prov. 11:24,25. Rom. 12:8. 

Prov. 21:26. 2 Cor. 9:6. 

Prov. 22:9. 1 Tim. 6:18, 19. 

Eccl. 11:1. 2 Cor. 8:7. 

Luke 6: 38. 2 Cor. 8: 11. 

Teach Matt. 25 : 40 as a memory verse. 



A CHANGED NAME 

(Gen. 32:22-32) 

Jacob wrestled in his own strength till he became 
disabled; then he saw how weak he was. 

He would not let go till the Lord had blessed him. 

We should hang on to God, and the blessing will 
come to us just as surely as it did to Jacob. 

If we wrestle long enough with our difficulties, 
God will in the end bless us. 

Jacob was alone with God when the blessing 
came. We should seek to be alone with God when 
we need His special blessing and help. Jacob saw 
God face to face. If we would see God face to face, 
we must wrestle with sin till we overcome; then 
we can hear the voice of Jesus say, "Well done, 
thou good servant; because thou wast found faith- 
ful in a very little, have thou authority over ten 
cities." 

The Ant and the King 

Once there was a king who was very unhappy. 
He had been defeated on every hand. His armies 
had been overcome and his kingdom overthrown. 

20 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 21 

He sat one day in a cave where he was hiding from 
his enemies. Sad and discouraged, defeated and 
deserted, he thought he might as well stay there 
and starve to death. 

As he sat there, he spied an ant crawling up the 
wall of the cave. The ant was carrying a fly twice 
as large as himself. He climbed up a few feet, 
and fell back to the floor. He started up again. 
This time he climbed a little higher, then fell to the 
floor again. The king thought, "Surely he will 
not try it again"; but the ant, apparently not the 
least discouraged, climbed again, but, alas! fell. 
Six times did the little ant with his heavy load try 
to climb to the top of the cave, but fell every time. 
The king became interested in such splendid courage, 
and with joy he saw the ant reach his goal after 
trying seven times. He jumped up and said, "I 
will learn a lesson from this little ant. I will go and 
fight till I conquer, and regain my kingdom." 

The old Norman king was as good as his word. 

Let the prayers be for strength to persevere in 
our fight with our besetting sins. 



JOSEPH: HIS GREAT TRIAL 

(Gen. 37: 23-28) 

Two or three weeks previous to this time get 
cheap pictures bearing on the life of Joseph. If 
you can afford to get enough to present to the 
pupils, all the better. 

Have one of the girls make a little coat of cloth 
of several bright colors, and line it with bright 
red cambric. Pin this near the centre of the top 
of the blackboard. We will go back a little and show 
what led Joseph's brothers to treat him as they 
did. Directly under the coat draw a figure to 
represent a sheaf of wheat, and in a semicircle 
around this draw some figures to represent sheaves 
bowing toward the one in the centre. 

Draw some braces on the blackboard, and have 
the pupils suggest words to fill them. The follow- 
ing are suggestive. 





Envious 








Cruel 






Wicked 




r Innocent 


THE 


Deceitful 


JOSEPH 


God's servant 


BROTHERS 


Murderous 


Helpless 




Hated Joseph 




Honest 




Selfish 






. Liars 







22 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 23 

Make the lesson bear strongly on these points, 
especially the sin of envy and deception. Ask the 
pupils to name some of the qualities the brothers 
lacked. 



Lacked < 



Love 
Trust 
Good will 
True hearts 
Honesty 



Whose example may we follow that will give us 
these qualities? Outline a cross on the blackboard, 
and by a few earnest words lead the pupils to feel 
the constant need of Christ in the life to help us 
keep from being like Joseph's brothers. 



JOSEPH RETURNS GOOD FOR EVIL 

(Gen. 45:4-11) 

For the object-lesson make a small bag about 
five inches wide and nine inches long; fill this 
two-thirds full of wheat or other grain. Have a 
small silver cup (a tin cup will answer) and some 
silver money. 

Draw a heart on the blackboard, and write the 
words "Joseph's life" in it. Around it make some 
arrows with the points toward the heart. 

Lead the pupils to tell the story of Joseph and 
his brethren. Go still farther back, and have the 
pupils name all the wrong things that Joseph's 
brothers had done to him. As they are named, 
write them on the arrows. Make the lesson clear 
that these wrong acts had pierced Joseph's heart 
like arrows, and that Joseph had much to forgive. 
Ask of whom this reminds them. Draw a cross on 
the blackboard. Ask one of the pupils to read 
Matt. 18:21, 22. Multiply seventy by seven, and 
make the lesson clear that Christ meant that we 
should keep on forgiving, no matter how often 
any one wrongs us; that this is the Christ-like 
spirit of forgiving. 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 25 

Have one of the pupils prepared to come for- 
ward with the little bag of grain and tell how Joseph 
not only forgave his brothers, but gave them an 
abundance of food, all they could carry, and put 
the money they had given him in pay in the bags 
of wheat, and how in Benjamin's bag he put a silver 
cup. 

Here let the pupils put the money into the bag 
and tie it up. Hang the bag beside the little "coat 
of many colors." 

Make the teaching clear that God not only for- 
gives us if we ask Him, but gives us an abundance 
of good things all the time. Have the pupils name 
some of the good things God gives us. 

Make the application of the lesson personal, 
and teach Matt. 6: 14, 15. 

Close with a prayer service, and suggest that 
all ask God to help them to forgive freely and 
fully. 



A LITTLE BASKET 

(Exod. 2: 1-10) 

The material for the object-lesson will consist 
of a candle (a small Christm^ candle will be 
best), some slips of writing-paper an inch and a 
half long and a quarter of an inch wide, a bottle 
with a mouth large enough to hold the candle, 
and about three inches high, and some crepe tissue- 
paper. Tinfoil or other decorative paper may be 
substituted. 

Place the candle in the bottle for a candlestick. 
Cut the paper six inches wide and from fifteen to 
eighteen inches long. Gather this on one side about 
an inch and a half from the top, and tie it around 
the neck of the bottle. Three inches below this 
tie it around the base of the bottle. Spread out 
the lower edge of the paper for the bowl of the 
candlestick. 

Write words on the slips of paper suggestive of 
the different things that make up a life, such as 
"Love," "Play," "Work," "Study," "Happiness," 
"Smiles," "Jesus," etc. Paste these at intervals 
around the candle. 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 27 

Before beginning the life of Moses and his leader- 
ship of the Israelites get pictures bearing on these 
lessons. 

Draw the lesson story from the pupils. Children 
are always charmed with this thrilling event, and 
will picture the scene most vividly. 

To-day our lesson is to be about the beginning 
of a life which was great with service. Show the 
candle, and light it. Show how this represents a 
life just beginning to shine for Jesus. Impress 
the thought that God has a plan for every life. 
He will make each one of us as useful in the world 
as He made Moses, if we will let Him. Sometimes 
we spoil God's plans for ourselves by being dis- 
obedient and wilful, just as we could spoil the 
little candle so that it would be of no use to 
any one. 

Read the words on the slips about the candle; 
have them discussed one by one. After this have 
the pupils form a circle about the candle and sing 
softly, "Lead, kindly Light." If you have the 
book called "Chalk," illustrate the song on the 
blackboard as suggested there. 

"Jesus bids us shine 
With a clear, pure light 
Like a little candle, 
Burning in the night 



28 ON THE HIGHWAY 

" In the world is darkness, 
So we must shine. 
You in your small corner, 
And I in mine" 

Another poem that might be used is the following: 

"Little words are sometimes mighty; 
Little lights shine far away; 
So, then, we will shine for Jesus, 
Shine for Jesus every day. 

"Shine out for Jesus! 

Let each little candle shine; 
He will guide and safely shelter 
Us with arms divine" 



GOD'S HOLY PLACES 

(Exod. 3:5) 

For the object-lesson have a picture of Christ, 
the picture of a church, and a branch of red autumn 
leaves. If the leaves cannot be had, a leafless 
branch may be supplied with red tissue-paper 
leaves pasted or wired on. 

The meaning of the word "reverence" may be 
made clear to the pupils by using an illustration 
somewhat like the following: 

Suppose we had a friend who had been very good 
to us, and every time we went to see him we should 
smoke a pipe, and spit around the floor, and talk 
loudly and coarsely, laugh in his face, make fun 
of what he said, and use his name in a disrespectful 
manner; do you think we should be showing rev- 
erence and respect for him? 

Lead the pupils to tell what would be showing 
reverence to such a friend. 

Have one of the pupils tell the story of the burn- 
ing bush. She may show the branch with the red 
leaves. She should dwell particularly on the voice. 



30 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Liken the burning bush to nature, and show that 
God speaks to us with a still small voice out of the 
flowers and trees and grass. His loving-kindness 
and constant care are all around us in His beautiful 
handiwork. Ask the pupils whether they have not 
seen such wonderful scenes in nature that they 
felt a kind of reverence, and, as we often say, like 
taking off their hats. 

Lead the thought along the line of reverence to 
God and God's house. Show the pictures. Try 
to impress the sacredness of the church. Have the 
pupils tell how we can reverence God's house, 
and how we sometimes act irreverently in church. 
Make a list of each of these ways on the black- 
board. 

Show how Joseph reverenced his father. He 
reverenced and honored him because he loved him. 
If we love God, we shall reverence Him. 



AN UNWILLING SERVANT 

(Exod, 3: 10-14; 4:10-12) 

A pretty gift to accompany this lesson will be 
some little canes or staves cut from colored card- 
board. These should be six or eight inches long 
and have a crook at one end. Cut one just the 
size and shape you want, and use it for a pattern 
by laying it on the sheet of cardboard and marking 
around it with a pencil. Have some of your pupils 
cut them out. On the side of each cane print a 
Bible reference to one of God's promises of help. 
The list given below may be used. Tie a knot of 
baby ribbon on one end of each cane and they are 
complete. 

Isa. 32: 20. Luke 12: 42, 43. 1 Tim. 6: 20. 

Jer. 1:8. 1 Tim. 1 : 18. 2 Tim. 1 : 13. 

Matt. 10: 16. 1 Tim. 4: 15. 2 Tim. 2: 1. 

Matt. 28: 19. 1 Tim. 4: 16. 2 Tim. 2: 3. 

Mark 16: 15. 1 Tim. 6: 11. 2 Tim. 3: 14. 

Matt. 10: 28. 1 Tim. 6: 14. 2 Tim. 4: 5. 

Ask one of the older pupils to meet with you be- 
fore the meeting and talk over the Scripture les- 
son, including the first seventeen verses of the fourth 

31 



32 ON THE HIGHWAY 

chapter of Exodus. This will give the lesson of 
God's help to Moses, His promise to be with him, 
to put words into his mouth, etc. Then at the 
meeting ask this pupil to tell the lesson story. 

Ask the pupils to name other Bible men who did 
not want to do what God asked them to. They 
may mention "Jonah," the "rich young man," 
etc. 

Did we ever refuse or fail to do what we knew 
God would like to have us do? 

How do we know that God wants us to do certain 
things? These questions will lead to a general dis- 
cussion of the lesson. 

Have the gifts passed among the pupils. Just 
as Moses was to take his staff as a reminder of God's 
promise to be with him, so these little staves are to 
be reminders of God's promise to help us. Ask 
each pupil to find his reference in the Bible. Then 
ask each one to rise, read his verse, and add a 
word of testimony. 

A very pretty and simple exercise would be to 
have the song "I'll Go Where You Want Me to 
Go" acted out by three of the pupils. The song 
is found in the "Endeavor Hymnal" published by 
the United Society of Christian Endeavor, 41 Mt. 
Vernon Street, Boston, Mass. 

This should be arranged for and planned pre- 
vious to the meeting. Have the first verse illustrated 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 33 

with pictures, the first line by a picture of moun- 
tains and water, the second line by the picture of 
a battle. Have the third line sung softly, and the 
pupil will raise his hand while singing the last line. 

The second verse may be illustrated by the 
singer's showing an illuminated text, or one printed 
in large letters on cardboard, for the first line of 
the song, the picture of the prodigal son or some 
other similar character for the second line; then 
with clasped hands and closed eyes sing the two 
remaining lines as a prayer. 

The first line of the third verse may be illustrated 
by a picture of the world or a globe, the second 
line by a small cross, the fourth line by a cardboard 
text. With a little practice three singers can give 
this exercise in a most pleasing manner. 

Have the three come forward and stand behind 
a table on which objects are laid in the order in 
which they are to be used. Let each one sing his 
verse alone and all the pupils join in the chorus. 

Follow this with a service of sentence prayers. 



GRUMBLING 

(Exod. 16: 1-7) J 

The following braces, if carefully and fully worked 
out, will fill the lesson hour. Have the words which 
fill the braces suggested by the pupils, and discuss 
each after it is written in the brace. Show how 
grumbling about God, clothes, etc., is really finding 
fault with God. 



What were 
the Israelites 
grumbling about? 



f™ ,. f Their food] 

They were dis^ Moseg God 



satisfied with 



[ Aaron J 



What do we 
grumble about? 



Our food 
Our clothes 
Our friends 
Our homes 
Our lessons 
The weather 
etc. 



}God 



How did God try to please these people? 
Have one of the pupils tell the story of the 
lesson. 



34 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 



35 



For what may 
we trust God? 



In what particular 
things should we 
obey God? 



Food 

Clothes 

Home 

Friends 

Sunshine 

Flowers 

Happiness 

Eternal life 

etc. 

Loyalty 

Love 

Service 

Prayer 

Faith 

etc. 



THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT 

(Exod. 20: 8-11) 



Write Exod. 20:8 on the blackboard. Under 
this draw a long brace with colored chalk. In 
front of the brace print the word "Sabbath." 
Back of the brace and in the top half write the word 
"Broken," and in the lower half the word "Kept." 
In front of each of these words draw another brace. 

Lead the pupils to name ways in which the 
Sabbath is broken. Write these in the top brace; 
also ask how God wants His Sabbaths kept, and 
write the answers in the lower brace. 

Let each of these be thoroughly discussed, and 
the lesson will develop much interest. 

Sunday excursion 

Baseball 

Work 

Bad reading 

Loafing 

Drinking 

Playing 

etc. 



SABBATH 



Broken 



Kept 



Church 

Sunday-school 

Christian Endeavor 

Singing 

Good reading 

Resting 

etc. 



36 



THOU SHALT NOTS 

(Exod. 20: 13-17) 



The following braces will prove suggestive: 
Thou 



Kill 

Commit adultery 
shalt { Steal 

not Bear false witness 
[ Covet 



> + Christ = 



A new commandment 
I give unto you, that 
ye love one another 
even as I have loved 
you. 



Discuss each of the preceding commandments 
and have the pupils repeat them. Use the braces 
as a chalk-talk. Write the words "Thou shalt 
not"; draw a long brace in front of them; and, 
as the pupils repeat the commandments, write 
in the brace the words indicated. Draw another 
brace pointing to the right: in front of this write 
"plus Christ." Impress the lesson that after keep- 
ing all of God's commandments we must add Christ 
to our lives; and, if we do that, we equal the new 
commandment that Christ gave us. Here write 
John 13: 34 in an added brace. 

Lead the pupils to discuss what kind of world 
this would be if every one kept this commandment. 
Let the thought of the prayer service be that God will 
help us to keep this greatest of all commandments. 

37 



MAN'S FAITH AND GOD'S PROMISE 

(Gen. 7:1; 9:13; Heb. 11:7) 

Arrange with one of the older boys to come pre- 
pared to tell the story of the flood and Noah's 
part in it. After this has been told have the Scrip- 
ture references read. 

Draw a rainbow on the blackboard. This can 
best be done by using the side of the chalk. If 
you have the colored crayons, the rainbow will be 
more pleasing to the children. 

Write these words on the blackboard: "Noah's 
Faith, God's Promise." Lead the pupils to talk 
about each of these, also to see that having faith 
is trusting some one. The pupils will tell you of 
some one they know that they trust and tell why 
they trust him, or some one they do not trust. 
For instance, John may tell you that he knows a 
boy that lies and steals, and never keeps his word. 
On the other hand, Mary will tell you that she has 
a little friend that always keeps her promise, and 
she knows that what she says is true, and has 
faith in her. 

Just so we have faith in God because He does 
just as He has promised. 

38 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 39 

The bow was God's promise to Noah that He 
would take care of him, and it is His promise to 
every one of us. 

Ask the pupils to name as many of God's promises 
as they can remember. Write these under the 
bow of promise. 



GIANTS AND GRASSHOPPERS 

(Num. 13:30-33) 

We will make a chalk-talk of this lesson. It 
would be a very good plan to have two or three of 
your pupils meet with you and study the lesson 
over so that they may be able to help with the 
chalk-talk and read selected passages. 

The story may be told somewhat as follows: 

Moses sent a number of men to spy out the land 
of Canaan. Lead the boys and girls to tell how this 
was the land the Lord had promised the Israelites 
and to which they were travelling. 

When these men came back, all but two of them 
were scared almost to death. They said the people 
in Canaan had great walled cities, and there were 
giants there (draw a wall with giants looking over), 
that the Israelites were as mere grasshoppers be- 
side them. (Draw some grasshoppers hopping 
away from the wall.) These men gave a very false 
report about this country because they were cow- 
ards. But Caleb, one who was not afraid, said: 
"Come on; we can kill them, for God is with us. 
The land is just splendid, and flows with milk and 

40 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 41 

honey.' 5 But the men who felt like grasshoppers 
said they were afraid to go. And the rest of the 
people became afraid, and were going to kill Moses 
and Aaron; and the Lord sent the people back into 
the wilderness to stay forty years. 

Have one of the pupils read Num. 14 : 23, 24, 36, 
37. Draw a giant lying down and a grasshopper 
with a sword sitting on him. This is to represent 
how finally Caleb conquered the "giants" and 
was permitted to live in the land of plenty. 

This lesson should teach that we should not be- 
little ourselves or be cowards, but that, trusting 
in God, we can conquer the greatest giants that we 
meet in our lives. 

Courage, with God's aid, will conquer. 



A CORD OF BLUE 

(Num. 15:37, 38, 39, first clause) 

Prepare gifts to accompany this lesson as follows: 
Cut some hearts from white cardboard. These 
should be about two inches long. Outline a cross 
on each, and tie a blue cord in them near the centre 
of the top. Have one of these for each pupil. They 
would look very pretty if arranged on a large card 
in the shape of a heart. 

The following picture story may be used to 
illustrate the lesson. Once upon a time there was 
a great bridge built across a wide river. (Draw 
a bridge with blue chalk, and the girders of a bridge.) 
Strong iron supports were used, which crossed and 
recrossed one another. (Continue to draw the 
bridge.) They wanted the bridge very strong be- 
cause the heavy trains would cross it loaded with 
human beings; and, if it should prove to be weak, 
there would be a terrible accident. Now, there 
was one piece of iron that had just a tiny crack in 
it; but the men who were building said, "O, that 
won't matter/' (Draw a mark on the girders to 
represent the crack.) 

42 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 43 

Now that crack had a peculiar name; its name 
was "I forgot." So the men used the cracked 
iron, and it weakened the whole structure; and 
one sad day the bridge went down, and took with 
it a hundred people. 

Now this bridge is our character, and the little 
"I forgot" is the weak spot; and sometimes it 
ruins not only our own lives, but other lives as 
well. So we need reminders. Call one of the 
smaller pupils to you, and tie a cord on his finger. 
Every child is familiar with this kind of reminder. 

God gave these people a cord of blue as a re- 
minder. He has given us a better reminder. Here 
lead the children to speak of the Holy Spirit as 
the one great reminder God gave to us. The very 
best reminder we can have is Christ in the heart. 
Here pass the hearts, and ask the children to 
hang them in a conspicuous place at home as a 
reminder of Jesus and all the things He would like 
to have us do. 



SERPENTS 

(Num. 21:4-9; John 3:14, 15) 

Arrange the sand-board to represent the wilder- 
ness. This is done by filling it with small branches. 
Have this done before the meeting. Cut tents 
from white paper. Have one of the pupils tell 
how the Israelites came to be in the wilderness; 
another, how they were complaining because they 
did not have good things to eat; another, how God 
gave them the manna. As the lesson proceeds, 
complete the sand-board by arranging the tents 
among the trees, and sprinkle cornmeal over the 
ground to represent the manna. Make a "brazen 
serpent " by winding a piece of red or yellow yarn 
on a stick; or a narrow strip of tin may be cut to 
represent the brazen serpent; wind this on a stick. 

Let the Scripture lesson be read one verse at a 
time; as each verse is read, draw out its central 
thought. 

The fourth verse shows weak faith. God had 
been very good to them. He had fulfilled every 
promise, and shown them over and over that He 
loved them: yet they were complaining to Moses 
how badly God had treated them. 

44 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 45 

The fifth verse tells of their complaining. They 
were not satisfied with the bread or water. They 
said God and Moses had brought them out into 
the wilderness to die. Their complaining grew so 
loud and fierce that God took very severe means to 
stop it. The sixth verse tells of the fiery serpents 
that God sent among the people; they were very 
poisonous, and many people died of the serpents' 
bites. 

The seventh verse tells that the people repented, 
and said, "We have sinned"; and they begged 
Moses to pray to God to take away the serpents. 
Then Moses prayed, and God heard his prayer. 
The eighth verse tells us that God answered the 
prayer. (Here set up the serpent among the tents.) 
Those who had been bitten by the serpents had 
only to look upon this brazen serpent, and the 
poison would leave them, and they would live. 
No doubt many of these people said, "O, I don't 
believe that thing can make me well," and turned 
away to die, just as many people turn from the 
cross of Christ and die, soul and body. Christ 
said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder- 
ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; 
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have eternal life" (John 3: 14, 15). 

Just as the brazen serpent lifted up in the wildej- 
ness meant complete salvation to the stricken 



46 



ON THE HIGHWAY 



Israelites, so Christ lifted up on the cross means 
complete salvation to us. 



ISRAELITES < 



( In many ways 
\ Before God 

{At the serpent 
to be cured 
In God 
His promise 

Were saved ( Because the ^ 
Were saved | looked and belieyed 



Sinned 



Looked 



Believed 



WE 



Sin 



Look 



Believe 



Are saved 



f Every day 
\ Before God 

To Jesus 

for eternal life 

That Jesus 

can help and save 

Because we 

look to Jesus 



AN ANIMAL THAT TALKED 

(Num. 22:28-33) 

The lesson that may be drawn from the Scripture 
reference is that Balaam struck and abused his 
beast when the poor creature was not at all to 
blame, and it took a miracle to show him the wrong 
he was doing. Just in the same way people to-day 
are beating and abusing their animals for what is 
really their own fault, and because they do not study 
so that they can know the real trouble, 

At the previous meeting ask the pupils to be 
prepared to tell the different things that our animal 
helpers do for us, also the ways in which we can pay 
or cheat them. When these are drawn out in the 
meeting, arrange them in braces somewhat in the 
following manner: 



HOW ANIMALS 
HELP US 



' 


f Are driven 


HORSES 


I Work 




( Are ridden 




Watch 


DOGS 


< Hunt 




( Draw sledges 




f Give milk 


CATTLE 


I Work 




I Are food 


FOWLS 


f Supply eggs 
\ Are food 



47 



48 



ON THE HIGHWAY 



HOW WE 
PAY THEM 



HOW WE 
CHEAT THEM 



Treat them kindly 
Feed them 
Water them 
Love them 
etc. 

Beat them 
Tease them 
Neglect them 
Handle them roughly 
Overwork them 
etc. 



A MAN OF COURAGE 

(Josh. 1:1-9) 

Open the lesson talk by asking the question, 
"What is courage? " As the pupils give the answers, 
write them on the blackboard. The answers will 
be something as follows: 

It is that which helps us over hard places. 

It helps us to do hard things. 

It helps us to do brave things. 

Print the word "Courage" on the blackboard, 
and draw a large brace in front of it, and by a few 
questions lead the pupils to fill it out as follows: 

f Our work 
What for? t To live right 

[ To help others 

f Trust God 
How secure it? { Pray for it 

( Read the Bible 



COURAGE 



Who needs it? < All 

Outline on the blackboard a flag with a cross 
on it. This will work out very prettily if the flag 
is made white and the cross red. Under this write 
the words "By this we conquer." 

Lead the pupils to recall persons or incidents 
49 



50 ON THE HIGHWAY 

illustrating Christian courage, such as Daniel, the 
little Hebrew maid, and some of Paul's experiences. 
Make clear the thought that we not only need this 
courage for the great things in life, but we need it 
for the little, every-day things. These sometimes 
prove to be the hardest to bear, and require the 
most courage. 

"Be strong to hope, heart. 
Though day is bright. 
The stars can only shine 

In the dark night. 
Be strong, heart of mine; 
Look toward the light. 

"Be strong to bear, heart. 

Nothing is vain; 
Strive not, for life is care, 

And God sends pain; 
Heaven is above, and there 

Rest will remain. 

"Be strong to love, heart. 

Love knows not wrong; 
Didst thou love, creatures even, 

Life were not long; 
Didst thou love God in heaven, 

Thou wouldst be strong." 

— ADELAIDE A. PROCTER 



A CORD OF RED 

(Josh. 2: 12-14) 

With a few questions draw from the pupils the 
fact that the forty years' wandering of the Israelites 
is nearly over; that they are now ready to cross 
the river Jordan. As this talk is going on, sketch 
some trees with green chalk, and some tents among 
them. Write the figures 40 over these to indicate 
the forty years in the wilderness. Outline the river 
Jordan with blue chalk at the right of the trees. 
Conduct the chalk- talk somewhat as follows: 

After the children of Israel had wandered in the 
wilderness all these years they came at last to the 
river Jordan, in sight of the promised land. (Here 
draw the river.) They pitched their tents near 
the river, for they were afraid to cross till they had 
found out something about the people who lived 
there. (Here draw some tents along the river.) 
Across this river were walled cities (draw some walls) 
and bad people who were waiting to kill them. 
So Joshua said, "We will send some spies over there 
and find out just what these people are." 

The two men set out on their perilous trip. (Draw 
51 



52 ON THE HIGHWAY 

two men on the wall of the city, also a small house.) 
There was a woman that lived on the wall of the 
city, and these men asked her whether she would 
keep them overnight. Now this woman had a 
kind heart, and she knew the people of the land were 
trying to find the men so as to kill them; so she hid 
them in her house. The roof of her little house was 
covered with flax, and she took them up there, and 
covered them with the flax. (Make some marks 
on the roof of the house to represent the flax.) 

The wicked men searched for them, but could not 
find them; so they passed on, supposing the spies 
had escaped. When their pursuers had gone, the 
woman let the spies down outside the wall with a 
red cord. The woman asked just one thing in 
return for her kindness, and that was that they 
would save her and all her people when they took 
possession of the land. The spies promised her 
they would, and told her to fasten in the window 
the red cord by which she had let them down; 
and, when they saw that, they would remember 
how kind she had been to them, and would save 
her and all her people. (Draw a line down from 
one of the windows with red chalk.) 

Lead the pupils to discuss ways in which we can 
show kindness, what true charity means, and 
ways of being kind to strangers. 

Teach Heb. 13: 2 as a memory verse. 



COURAGE, AND A BIG NOISE 

(Josh. 6: 12-20) 

Arrange one end of the sand-board with some 
trees, hills, etc. Make a wall of large pebbles. 
This should be a square enclosure. Outside of this 
arrange the tents. Make the other end pretty with 
flowers, grass, and stalks of wheat or other grain. 
This is to represent the land of Canaan. 

The Israelites had wandered for forty years in 
the wilderness, and now they were in sight of the 
promised land; but they had to overthrow the 
wall of Jericho before they could enter. They did 
not see how this could be done. The wall of Jericho 
was great and strong, and no ordinary measures 
would destroy it. So God told Joshua that they 
should march around that great wall and blow the 
trumpets, but make no other noise. Now these 
people had had many hard lessons, and so they did 
not stop and ask: "Why is not once enough? 
We are tired, and want to get into the land of 
Canaan." They were determined to win. They 
did not see how it was going to be done; but God 
said, "March around Jericho seven days," and 

53 



54 ON THE HIGHWAY 

they obeyed. When the seventh day came, they 
were anxious. They rose at dawn, for this day 
they had to go around Jericho seven times. Can 
we not see them? First the priests bearing the ark 
of the covenant; then men, women, and children, 
marching all day. It was no easy thing God had 
asked them to do, but they must obey before they 
could reach the promised land. 

When the seventh time came, Joshua said, 
"Shout"; and, as the people shouted, the walls 
of Jericho fell, and the inhabitants inside were 
destroyed. 

(Throw over the walls, and move the tents over 
into Canaan.) 

The application of the lesson will bring out these 
facts: 

We all come to a wall of Jericho in our lives. 
Do we meet it bravely, or do we shrink, or depend 
on our own strength and fail? 

Sometimes God asks us to do hard things over 
and over just as He did with the Israelites. How 
should we feel when we must meet these hard 
things? 

Sometimes God asks us to shout. He wants 
us to manifest our faith and proclaim our 
victories. 

We have a promised land, and there is always a 
wall of Jericho to overthrow before we can pass 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 55 

over. He has promised to be with us and give us 
the victory if we will but do our part. 

Ask the pupils to tell what some of our "walls 
of Jericho" are, and some of the victories God has 
helped to win. 



GIDEON AND HIS BRAVE MEN 

(Judg. 6:11-16; 8:22, 23) 

Be prepared to tell the story of Gideon and his 
conquest of the Midianites as told in the sixth and 
seventh chapters of Judges. Make the story as 
simple and pleasing as possible. It may be a good 
plan to work it into a chalk-talk. Divide the 
blackboard by drawing a vertical line through the 
centre. In one half make a great many small 
marks to represent the army of the Midianites. 
Then, as the story tells how God selected only 
three hundred out of the thousands of Israelites, 
draw three groups of men, and over each group 
place the figures 100. Lead the pupils to tell what 
these people were armed with, and how God used 
this army to drive away the Midianites. Over the 
men who represent the Israelites draw a large 
sword, and on it print the words "The sword of 
the Lord." Over the Midianites write the words 
"No faith in God." 

The lesson to be drawn from the story will be 
apparent to every pupil. It is not numbers that 
count with God, for He could use the weak just 

56 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 57 

as well if they only put their trust in Him. He 
can do more work with one willing little boy or 
girl than He can do with a whole host of unwilling 
people. Our lesson teaches us that God did not 
want any cowards. He did not want any one who 
was going to be afraid and run away when he saw 
a great number of the enemy. He just picked out 
the truest and bravest men among all those thou- 
sands of warriors; and just as it was then, so it is 
now. He may have some great work for each of 
us to do, and the best way to be ready for this is 
to keep trusting God and doing the things He tells 
us to do. ' 

Teach the last part of Zech. 4 : 6 as a memory 
verse. 



SAMSON 

(Judg. 13:24; 16:16-20) 

Prepare the material for the object-lesson as 
follows : 

Take three or four sticks, arid cut a notch on 
them near the centre; also some string, and cut 
part of the strands, or, if convenient, use a small 
rope or twine, and cut all the strands but one in 
two or three places. 

Ask two or three of the boys to meet with you 
during the week and study the story of Samson. 
Let each boy take an incident in his life, and be 
prepared to tell it at the meeting. For instance, 
let one tell of his physical strength; another, of the 
weak spot in his character; another, of how God 
gave him back his strength, and led him to do 
good work. 

After the story has been duly drawn out lead 
the lesson talk along the lines of courage. Hold 
up one of the sticks, and ask how strong it is. If 
the pupils observe the notch in the stick, they 
will tell you it is not very strong because it has a 
notch cut in it. Break the stick, and show how that 

58 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 59 

one spot weakened it, and that it was just as strong 
as its weakest spot. Illustrate the thought by break- 
ing the other sticks, and in the same way by using 
the string or rope which has had part of the strands 
cut. It is just the same with people. Their char- 
acters are just as strong as their greatest weakness. 
We may be good and true to almost every right 
principle, and yet have one little sin in our lives 
which spoils it all; for we are no stronger anywhere 
in our lives than we are at that little sinful place 
in our characters. 

Ask the pupils whether they ever knew any 
one who tried to cover up wrong things in his life 
by doing good things in the sight of man. Bring 
out the thought of how so many men get their 
great wealth by pinching and overworking poor 
men, women, and children. Some of these men 
give great gifts to charity and other good causes, 
but that does not make them right in the sight of 
God. They are no stronger, because they have a 
notch of sin in their characters. 

Ask how we can strengthen the notches in our 
character. Ask one of the pupils to read Judg. 16 : 28, 
and teach that, just as Samson called on the Lord 
for strength, and had his prayer answered, so we 
can call on the Lord to strengthen the weak spots 
in our character with just as sure results. 



RUTH, A LOVING DAUGHTER 

(Ruth 1:14-18; 2:11, 12) 

By following either of the following suggestions 
one can make a very appropriate gift to the pupils 
to accompany this lesson. Get pictures of "The 
Gleaners" or "Ruth," or prepare a gift for each 
pupil as follows: Take small cards, or cut light 
cardboard or heavy paper into cards. Cut two 
parallel slits about a quarter of an inch apart, and 
through them slip a head of oats, wheat, or some 
other grain. On the card place the following brace: 

I Self-sacrificing 
Industrious 
Faithful 

By taking a brief forecast of the lesson the pre- 
ceding Sunday the pupils will be prepared to make 
the story of Ruth very interesting, as it is one of 
the favorite Bible stories. Let the following char- 
acteristics be made impressive. 

Ruth left her home and her people to go to a dis- 
tant land in order to take care of her mother-in-law. 
She had no selfish interest. There was no pleasure 
in leaving all that she held dear to go among strangers 
and work for a living. 

60 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 61 

When they reached Bethlehem, where Naomi's 
people lived, Ruth set right to work to earn a living 
for her mother-in-law. She worked from morning 
till night in the hot sun, and because she was so 
industrious she won friends who helped her through- 
out her life. 

She was very kind and thoughtful for others. 

Write the words "How can we be like Ruth?" 
on the blackboard, and after them draw a brace. 
Let the pupils name helpful things we can do which 
the lesson of Ruth suggests to them. 



A BOY WHO WORKED FOR GOD 

(1 Sam. 2: 18, 26) 

Have a small Christmas candle to represent 
Samuel. Make clear to the pupils that Samuel 
was only a little boy at this time. He had been 
cared for by a God-fearing mother. He was getting 
ready to do a great service for God. Samuel knew 
nothing about this; yet, when God called, he 
answered and said, "Speak, for thy servant 
heareth." 

Light the little candle, and tell the pupils that it 
represents Samuel, for he was the only light in a 
dark place. This little boy was the only spark of 
good among a sinful people. 

Illustrate this by the missionaries. They leave 
all, and go to a heathen country. Sometimes they 
cannot even speak the language of the people with 
whom they live. They are the only spark of God 
in a dark country, among people uneducated and 
often cruel. Speak of Rev. John G. Paton, who 
went many years ago as a missionary to the New 
Hebrides. He was a tiny spot of light, but the light 
grew and grew till now there are many lights there. 

62 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 63 

Leave the pupils to review the story of Samuel 
and Eli. 

Ask the questions "What can we do for God?" 
"What can we do in His house?" As the pupils 
give the answers, let these be discussed thoroughly. 
They will bring out the lessons of worship, reverence, 
faithfulness, prayerfulness, and sacredness. 



A LITTLE MESSENGER 

(1 Sam. 3: 11-18) 

Prepare the sand-board by spreading the sand 
level over the board. In the centre place a small 
candle, and on each corner a sign-board, which may 
consist of a toothpick with a small square of paper 
slipped over the end. On these print the abbrevia- 
tions for north, south, east, and west. Have four 
extra candles. As the lesson story is told, light the 
candle in the centre of the board, which will repre- 
sent Samuel, as in the preceding lesson. 

The Lord made a messenger out of Samuel. He 
had a special work for him to do and a special 
mission in the world for him. He has the same for 
each one of us. 

Make clear the thought of Samuel's willingness 
to be a messenger for God. Call attention to the 
little light on the sand-board. It is shining as far 
as it can; but over here, north, south, east, and 
west, are people who are in darkness that this little 
light cannot reach. How can we be messengers 
for God, and take a light to them? Make a path 
from the candle in the centre to each of the sign- 

64 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 65 

cards. Then light the four candles from the centre 
light, and place one on each corner of the board. 
We may not be able to take the light ourselves; 
and, if not, how can we help to send the light? 
Let the pupils discuss this part of the lesson. 

Close the lesson talk by summing up the lessons 
we have learned from Samuel. 

Let the thought of the prayer service be that 
we may prepare ourselves to be God's messengers 
as faithfully as Samuel prepared. Pictures of 
little Samuel would be an appropriate gift to ac- 
company this lesson. 

Have the pupils sum up the lesson in an acrostic. 
The following is suggested : 

S erved 
A nswered 
M inded 
U seful 
E steemed 
L oved 



A KING GOD CHOSE 

(1 Sam. 10:20-25) 

At the previous meeting ask the pupils to learn 
all they can about Saul during the week. 

After the reading of the Scripture lesson ask the 
pupils to name all the Bible kings they can think of. 
Write these on the blackboard, and after Saul's 
name make a brace. Draw from the pupils what 
they have learned about Saul, and condense their 
suggestions into a word or sentence, and place this 
in the brace. 

Lead the pupils to discuss each characteristic as 
it is named. A few well-chosen questions will add 
to the interest. 

Ask the pupils what other king God chose. 
Lead them to name Jesus. Print this word on the 
blackboard, and after it make a brace. Lead the 
pupils to tell why God chose Christ for a king. 
As the reasons are suggested, write them in the brace. 
Make clear that God has chosen us to do His work 
just as He chose Saul; that each of us may be a 
king or queen in God's sight if we will but carry 
on His work; that our crowns are awaiting us, 

66 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 67 

and all we have to do is to make ourselves worthy 
of them. Some will lose their crowns as Saul did. 
Let the thought of the prayer service be that we 
may be worthy to be crowned. 
Teach Matt. 25 : 23 for a memory verse. 



A PRINCE WHO WAS TRUE 

(1 Sam. 14:6-42) 

The materials for the gifts will consist of some 
white or tinted cardboard and some pretty cord. 
Cut from the cardboard some hearts, anchors, and 
crosses. These should be about three inches long 
and wide in proportion. Tie an anchor, a heart, 
and a cross together by looping a piece of cord 
about them. On the heart write the word "My- 
self"; on the anchor, "My Faith"; and on the 
cross, "My Saviour." Prepare one of these for 
each pupil. They would make a very pleasing 
appearance if fastened to a piece of dark card- 
board or pasteboard covered with black cloth. 

Draw from the pupils the story of the lesson, 
how Saul, in cowardly fear, would not meet the 
enemy, and how Jonathan the prince and friend 
of David, went forward with only his armor-bearer, 
and put the enemy to flight. Make clear the lesson 
of Jonathan's faith in God, also of how God will 
always help His children when they are trying to 
overcome their enemies, sin and wrong. 

Have the gifts passed among the pupils, and 

68 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 69 

use them as an object-lesson, teaching that the 
hearts represent ourselves; we can make them 
good or bad; but, if we let in faith, which is repre- 
sented by the anchor, that leads us to the cross 
of Christ; then, with these three, ourselves, our 
faith, and our Saviour, we can overcome every 
enemy that we may meet. 

The following Bible readings are suggested to 
follow the lesson: 

Isa. 35:9. Jer. 31:28. 

Isa. 40:11. Zeph. 3: 17. 

Isa. 40:29. Zech. 4:6. 

Isa. 40:31. Isa. 45:2. 

Isa. 42: 13. Isa. 49:9. 

Isa. 42:16. Isa. 54:17. 

Isa. 43:2. Jer. 30:11. 

Matt. 10:29. 1 Cor. 10:13, 

Matt. 24:31. 2 Thess. 3:3. 

Luke 21: 18. Rev. 3:10. 

Rom. 8:28. 1 Pet. 3:12. 



GOD'S TEST 

(1 Sam. 16: 6-12) 

Use for the object-lesson an apple that appears 
perfect and sound on the outside, but has a bad, 
worm-eaten heart. The apple can be cut in two 
to find out its condition, and be fastened together 
again with toothpicks. Also have a perfect apple, 
but not quite so large or nice-looking as the other. 

These were all good-looking men that passed in 
front of God, but He did not choose any of them. 
Now, there was some reason. 

Here make clear to the pupils that God can see 
us through and through; that He knows every 
thought of our minds and every motive, whether 
good or bad. He could see right down into these 
men's hearts, and he saw that they were bad. 

Now show the apple with the bad heart; hold 
it up and ask whether it looks good to eat, and 
which of the two is the better-looking. Compare 
it to the men who passed before God. Now open 
the apple, and show the bad heart. 

Let one of the pupils tell the story of how the 
heart of the apple became bad; how, when it was 

70 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 71 

a beautiful blossom on the apple-tree, a tiny fly 
came buzzing along and left a little egg right in 
the heart of the blossom. Soon the petals fell off; 
and, where the blossom had been, there grew a 
little apple; but, as the apple grew, the egg hatched 
into a little worm that finally ate the heart away, 
and then bored its way out. Compare this story 
of the apple with our own lives. The little germ 
of sin enters into our hearts sometimes merely as a 
pleasure, but it grows and grows until our hearts 
are all bad. 

But there was one man who passed before God 
who had a good heart. Here show the perfect 
apple; open it; and show the good heart. 

Close the lesson with the following questions; 

How shall we look as we pass before God? 

Will He choose us? 



A BOY AND A GIANT 

(1 Sam. 17:4-11, 32-37) 

Arrange with one of the boys a week before to 
tell the story of David and Goliath. Make a chalk- 
talk of this; and, as the story is being told, draw 
on the blackboard figures to represent David with 
his sling and Goliath with his armor and sword. 
It would be well to have the boy who tells the 
story illustrate it with a sling-shot and five small 
stones. 

Liken the giant Goliath to the giant Sin, and David 
to one of the pupils. 

Now, each one of us is like David, and has started 
out to kill the giant. David tried on Saul's armor, 
but it was so large and clumsy that he said he 
never could kill the giant with that on; so he took 
it off, and took out of his shepherd's bag a sling. 
Now, David thought a good deal of that sling; 
for he had killed wild animals with it, and felt sure 
that he could kill Goliath; so he hunted around 
and found five smooth little stones, then went 
to meet the giant. Now, the giant was covered 
with armor; there was just one place where the 

72 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 73 

stone from David's sling could strike, and that 
was just under the giant's helmet. 

The giant made fun of David, and called him a 
dog; but he did not laugh long, for David whirled 
his sling around, and the little stone sped away 
to strike the giant down. 

Now what can we have that David had when 
we go to kill our giant? 

First, we can have faith in God; second, we can 
have courage; third, we can have love for right; 
fourth, we can want to rid the land of the bad 
giant. 

What can we have that David did not have? 
(Draw a cross on the blackboard, and make it 
plain to the pupils that we have Christ, our friend 
and elder brother, who is always ready to help us 
overthrow the giant Sin.) 



A ROYAL FRIENDSHIP 

(1 Sam. 20: 11-17) 

Once upon a time a tall and beautiful knight 
made a vow to search for the Holy Grail till he 
found it. So he put on his gilded mail that sparkled 
so brightly it looked like a blazing sheaf. He was 
young and strong, and had never known any sad- 
ness or gloom in his life; and with a light heart 
he sprang upon his dark charger, and started on 
his quest. 

As he passed through the dark gate that led out 
from the castle, he saw a leper crouched down by 
the stones, moaning and begging with his hands 
outstretched. The knight shrunk away from him 
in loathing, for he was repelled and angered at 
the sight of the ragged beggar; so he scornfully 
tossed the leper a piece of gold, and went dashing 
away on his charger. 

The leper did not touch the gold, but said, 

"'Better to me the poor marts crust, 
Better the blessing of the poor, 
Though I turn me empty from his door; 
That is no true alms which the hand can hold; 

74 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 75 

He gives only the worthless gold 

Who gives from a sense of duty; 

But he who gives but a slender mite, 

And gives to that which is out of sight, — 

That thread of the all-sustaining Beauty 

Which runs through all and doth all unite, — 

The hand cannot clasp the whole of his alms, 

The heart outstretches its eager palms, 

For a god goes with it, and makes it store 

To the soul that was starving in darkness before.'" 

The trees were bare, and the boughs rattled shud- 
deringly. Winter had shrouded the earth. 

"An old, bent man, worn out and frail, 
He came back from seeking the Holy Grail" 

He was thinly clad, with a look of pain and suf- 
fering in his face, and his steps tottered. He sat 
down at the gate of the castle that was no longer 
his, but belonged to another; and, as he sat there 
thinking over the days gone by, the loathsome 
leper again stood beside him, saying, 

"For Christ's sweet sake I beg an alms"; 

and the knight, looking at him, said, 

" ' I behold in thee 
An image of Him who died on the tree; 
Thou also hast had thy crown of thorns; 
Thou also hast had the world's buffets and scorns; 



76 ON THE HIGHWAY 

And to thy life were not denied 
The wounds in the hands and feet and side; 
Mild Mary's Son, acknowledge me; 
Behold, through him I give to Thee!"' 

And the knight broke in two his single crust, 
and gave half to the leper; then he went to the 
stream, and brought a drink of water. 

"And the voice thai was softer than silence said 
'Lo, it is I; be not afraid. 
In many climes, without avail, 
Thou hast spent thy life for the Holy Grail; 
Behold, it is here — this cup which thou 
Didst fill at the streamlet for me but now; 
This crust is My body broken for thee, 
This water His blood that died on the tree. 

Who gives himself with his alms feeds three, — 
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and Me. 9 " 

— JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL 
From "The Vision of Sir Launfal." 



A GIFT THAT GOD LIKES 

(2 Sam. 24: 18-25) 

Make five cards about nine inches square; these 
should be made of heavy paper or light-weight 
cardboard. On the first card draw a safe, or paste 
on it the picture of a safe; and over it print the 
words "God's Safe." On the second card draw 
some picture to represent money; on the third, the 
figure of a girl with a broom in her hand; on the 
fourth, some boys playing ball; and on the fifth, 
a heart. Make a hole in the centre of the top of 
each of the cards, and tie them together loosely 
with a narrow ribbon or cord. 

After the reading of the Scripture lesson begin 
the lesson talk by telling how we all have things that 
we value very highly, and we want to put them in 
a safe place. 

Here show the first card, and by a few questions 
lead the pupils to tell about different kinds of 
safes and their uses. Then call attention to the 
words over the picture, and ask what things we have 
that we should like to keep safe. The pupils will 
be almost sure to name money; then show the second 

77 



78 ON THE HIGHWAY 

card, and ask how we can put our money into 
God's safe. This will lead to a discussion of benevo- 
lent giving, and the pupils will draw the lesson that 
giving our money to the church, the Sunday-school, 
Christian Endeavor, and missionary work is putting 
it in God's safe. 

The third card will teach us a lesson of making 
our every-day work a service to God; by doing it 
cheerfully and well we are putting a rich treasure 
into God's safe. 

The fourth card will bring out the lesson that we 
can make our play and amusements of service, 
because they will help to make us strong for the work 
we have to do. 

But the thing God wants most is our hearts. 
Here show a picture of the heart, and bring out 
the thought of consecrating ourselves to God and 
placing our hearts in His safe keeping. 

Let the thought of the prayer service be that 
God will help us to give ourselves unreservedly to 
Him. 

"A servant with this clause 
Makes drudgery divine; 
Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws 
Makes that and the action fine: 9 

— GEORGE HERBERT 



THE LORD'S HOUSE 

(I Kings 8: 22-30) 

Once upon a time there were two boys who were 
about to go to a king's house. Now, the king 
lived in a magnificent palace that had about it 
beautiful trees and flowers; and inside the floors 
were white and clean and the windows of the most 
delicate glass. 

The boys were very glad to go to the king's 
house, nor did they feel afraid, because they had 
heard that the king was a very good man, and 
loved little children very dearly. 

When they arrived at the king's house, one of 
the boys cleaned his shoes very neatly, dusted his 
cap, and entered very quietly. The other boy was 
in such a hurry to see what was inside that he 
went dashing up the marble steps without giving 
a thought to his soiled shoes or how he might look. 
The first boy after entering the king's house sat 
down very quietly and listened to the king's servant, 
who was giving a message from the king; but the 
second boy did not seem to care anything about 
the message, and was noisy and rude. He scuffled 

79 



80 ON THE HIGHWAY 

his feet about, making much noise and soiling the 
floor; then he rolled up some paper wads, and 
threw them at the other boy; and, not quite satis- 
fied with this, he even ventured to throw one at 
the king's servant. 

Soon he grew tired of this, and began to search 
in his pockets to see whether he had anything else 
to play with. He found some beans, and began 
throwing them at the windows, and broke some of 
the beautiful glass; then he found some peanuts, 
and ate them, throwing the shells on the floor, and 
kept whispering and laughing and spoiling the 
beautiful home of the king; and, besides being rude 
and ungentlemanly, he failed to hear the beautiful 
message from the king, while the other boy had 
been good and listened to all the king's servant 
had said; and, when he went home, he told his 
mother that the king had said in his message that 
he loved them and was going to bring them all to 
live in a beautiful mansion where they w r ould never 
have to sorrow or toil as they were doing. 

The second boy did not have any happy message 
to take home, for he had not heard it. 

After the story has been read lead the pupils to 
see that these two boys were like many children 
going to church. The church is the king's home, 
and the first boy was like those who come for a 
good purpose and to listen to God's message; the 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 81 

second, like those who are careless and do every- 
thing to spoil God's house and disturb the meetings. 
Teach the following verse as a memory gem: 

"What kind of a church would my church be 
If every member was just like me? " 



GOD'S BIRDS 

(1 King 17: 5, 6; Luke 12: 24) 

Two weeks previous to this meeting ask the 
pupils each to write a story about birds. This 
alone will give you ample material for a full meet- 
ing. In case you may not have enough to fill out 
the class hour the following suggestions will help. 

How can we protect our song-birds? 

This will lead to a discussion about sparing the 
lives of the birds, not shooting or otherwise in- 
juring them for mere pastime, not robbing or 
destroying their nests or killing their young, etc. 

How should we care for our winter birds and 
those that come to us in the early spring? 

From this develop the thought of feeding the 
birds when the snow is on the ground and all their 
natural food covered up. Several plans are sug- 
gested; for instance, one lady grinds all her stale 
bread-crusts, and keeps the crumbs in a can, and 
throws out a handful to the birds every winter 
morning. The early robins and large birds are 
very fond of your apple-cores and parings, and a 
choice morsel for the sparrows and snowbirds is 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 83 

a soup-bone or a piece of suet laid in the crotch of 
a tree. 

How should we care for our pet birds? 

Be thoughtful to water them, and always keep 
cuttlebone or a little sand in the cage. Do not feed 
them cakes or sweets, but occasionally a morsel 
of apple or lettuce-leaf. 

We should never wear birds on our hats. This 
fashion has led to the destruction of thousands 
upon thousands of the beautiful birds of the tropics, 
until many species are quite extinct. In many 
cases the only time when these birds can be captured 
is at the nesting-season, when the mother bird is 
ruthlessly taken and the young left to starve and 
die. 



AN UNHAPPY KING 

(1 Kings 21:1-4) 

Previously arrange with your pupils for each to 
bring some choice fruit to this meeting. One may 
bring a bunch of grapes; another, two or three 
peaches; another, a pear, etc. Provide a basket 
for the fruit; a very pretty one can be made from 
a peach-basket covered and lined with colored 
tissue-paper. As the fruit is brought, place it in 
the basket, and use it for an object-lesson. 

The pupils should be told that the fruit is to be 
sent to those in a hospital or to other sick persons. 
Now have the story of the lesson read or told, about 
how Ahab coveted the vineyard and became so 
unhappy about it that it made him sick and dis- 
agreeable. Draw from the pupils the lesson that 
we should be just like Ahab if we coveted the basket 
of fruit, and wanted to eat it ourselves instead of 
taking it to the sick. This thought can be enlarged 
and the lesson on covetousness made very clear. 
Other illustrations may be used; for instance, if 
we see another person have something new or 
pretty, and want it ourselves, we are covetous. 

84 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 85 

Ask the pupils whether they have wanted anything 
that they saw some one else have, or whether 
they have begged mother or father to get them 
something like what some one else had, and then 
became unhappy because their parents did not feel 
that it would be best to get it. 

Make clear the thought that perhaps more people 
are made unhappy because they want, and try to 
get, things like what other people have than in any 
other way. 

Write the Ten Commandments on the black- 
board, and teach them for a memory selection. 



PERSEVERANCE 

(2 Kings 13: 14-19) 

Arrange with the boys of your society to meet 
with you and make some bows and arrows, one for 
each pupil. The bow should be made of a flexible 
twig or stick about seven or eight inches long, and 
a common cord can be used for a bowstring. The 
arrows may be made of strawberry-boxes, and the 
word "Victory" may be printed on the large end. 
The arrow should be tacked or fastened to the bow 
with a pin which can be pushed through and bent 
up out of the way. 

Have the lesson story clearly brought out and 
discussed. Print the word "Perseverance" on the 
blackboard, and after it a brace; then ask the 
pupils to tell what perseverance means; for in- 
stance, 



PERSEVERANCE 



r Never give up 
Keep right on fighting 
Determination 
Pluck 
Unconquerable 



Ask the pupils to name instances of perseverance. 
Recall the Revolutionary War, the Panama Canal, 
and Martin Luther. 

86 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 



87 



How Can We Gain 
the Victory over 



Sin, 

Our enemies, 

Ourselves, 

Our sorrows? 



Tell the pupils to hang up the bow with the 
arrow where it will be a reminder of perseverance 
and victory every time they look at it. 



THE BRAVE QUEEN 

(Esth. 4:16) 

At the previous meeting ask the pupils to read 
carefully the book of Esther, and select some one 
to tell the story of Esther found in the first three 
chapters; another, that of Haman; and another, 
that of Mordecai. 

Draw a crown on the blackboard to represent 
Queen Esther's crown, and on the points of the 
crown make some "gems" by using chalk of dif- 
ferent colors. The projection in the centre should 
be longer than those on the sides. Lead the pupils 
to tell you what it was that led Queen Esther to 
appear before the king. They will mention courage. 
Write this word above the large gem in the crown, 
and discuss this trait of character with the pupils. 
Ask them to mention other things that go to make 
a strong character such as Queen Esther displays 
in the lesson. Such words as "Loyalty," "Truth," 
etc., may be written above the other gems in the 
crown. 

Write the words "Dare to do right" on the black- 
board, and lead the pupils to tell of other people 

88 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 89 

who have dared to do right. Make it clear that 
Queen Esther had no selfish purpose in doing what 
she did. On the other hand, she knew that it 
might mean death to her, that if she displeased the 
king he would surely punish her; but for the sake 
of the people she loved she dared to do what was 
right; and God kept her from being punished. 



MORDECAI, THE FAITHFUL 

(Esth. 6: 1-11) 

For the object-lesson use a white heart with the 
word "Faithful" printed across it. 

Have one of the girls tell the story of Mordecai, 
and after that lead the pupils to compare his char- 
acter with that of Haman. 

As the pupils name fruits of faithfulness, have 
them written on lines radiating from the heart. 

Rudely sketch a scaffold and a cross. Bring out 
clearly the end of each of these men, and how one 
thought only of self and the other thought only of 
doing right. Write the word "Punishment" across 
the scaffold and the word "Reward" on the cross. 

Bring in the thought that it is faithfulness that 
makes true Christian Endeavor, that because of 
this quality Christian Endeavor has lived so many 
years to bless thousands of young people. Also 
make it clear to the pupils that it rests with the 
children of to-day whether Christian Endeavor will 
be a living power twenty-five years hence. 

Faithful pupils make faithful Endeavorers. 



90 



THE BIBLE-LOVER'S PSALM 

(Ps. 1) 

Begin the lesson by having a short talk with the 
pupils about the Psalms and their author. The 
word "psalm" means a song to be sung to a stringed 
instrument like a lyre. Sketch a lyre on the black- 
board. This is one of the most ancient and most 
harmonious of musical instruments. David used 
it a great deal in singing the psalms that he had 
composed. 

A very pretty gift to accompany this lesson could 
be made by sketching a lyre on a small card, and 
under it printing the reference, Ps. 1. 

The object-lesson will consist of the picture of a 
large tree and some chaff. Let the tree represent 
those in whom the Lord delights. Lead the pupils 
to speak of the fruitfulness of trees. Ask what the 
earth would be like without any trees on it. We 
should have no shade, no wood, no apples or oranges; 
the squirrels would have no homes, and the birds 
no place for their nests or shelter from the storms. 

Now show the chaff, and ask the pupils what it 
is good for. The farmer always tries to get rid of 

91 



n ON THE HIGHWAY 

the chaff. He puts his grain through a machine 
that will blow the chaff away, because it is good for 
nothing, and spoils the grain if left in. It is so 
with the wicked. God separates them from the 
righteous because He has no use for them, and 
David says, "The way of the wicked shall perish." 
Sum up the lesson with the question, "What 
must we do if we would be fruitful like the tree, and 
what must we avoid doing if we would not be like 
the chaff?" The answers as given by the pupils 
may be written on the blackboard. 



THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM 

The following object-lesson has been much used; 
but it is ever pleasing to the pupils, and I think 
will be very appropriate to the lesson of to-day. 
Take a glass pitcher or clear glass vase and five 
glasses. The glasses should contain just enough 
water to make the pitcher overflow when they are 
emptied into it. Have clear water in four of the 
glasses and water that has been colored red with 
red dye or ink in the fifth. The pitcher should be 
set on a plate or in a dish. The pitcher will repre- 
sent our lives, and the glasses of water the good 
things that God has put into them. So, as a glass 
of water is held up, let the pupils name some of the 
good things that God is continually putting into 
our lives. Then pour the water into the pitcher, 
and do so with each glass of water. Lead the 
thought to the greatest blessing that God ever 
gave to man. The pupils will tell you that it is 
Jesus, that with this blessing go all the other gifts 
that are mentioned in our Scripture lesson, and 
that, when Christ comes into the life, it is beauti- 
fied and made strong and good, and made to over- 



94 ON THE HIGHWAY 

flow with happiness and love. At this point pour 
the red liquid into the pitcher. This represents 
Christ in our lives, and the overflow impresses the 
thought that our lives overflow with God's bless- 
ings. "My cup runneth over" with good things. 
Let the pupils repeat the twenty-third Psalm in 
concert, and also John 3: 16. 



A PSALM OF PRAISE 

(Ps. 103) 

Plan the lesson a week or two before. Ask the 
pupils to bring their Bibles, also one object for which 
we should be thankful. The objects should be very 
simple, such as flowers, apples, a piece of bread, 
etc. 

Have the music committee arrange with reference 
to the praise service. 

The Scripture lesson is too long to be read by the 
teacher, as the pupils grow restless and inattentive. 
It may be divided into four or five parts and given 
to the different committees, each committee rising 
and reading in concert the part of the lesson as- 
signed to them. 

Have some simple prayers written on slips of 
paper. Give these to those pupils who are diffident 
about praying aloud. Then, as the pupils name the 
different ways in which we can praise God, let 
each one be demonstrated. For instance, we praise 
God in our songs. Then let two or three songs be 
sung. We praise God by telling others about Him. 
Follow this with some testimonies about Jesus. 

95 



96 



ON THE HIGHWAY 



We praise God in prayer. Ask that each pupil 
make a short prayer. We praise God with our 
lives. Then follow with a brief talk about how we 
can praise God with our lives. 

The following braces are suggestive: 

f Home 
For benefits ^ Friends 

etc. 



PRAISE GOD ; 



For forgiveness 
For salvation 

For loving-kindness 



Ps. 86:5 
John 3: 16 

Comfort 
Blessings 
etc. 



A LESSON FROM THE LONGEST PSALM 

(Ps. 119:9-16) 

Begin the lesson with a talk about laws — by 
whom they are made, what they are for, etc. If 
you have been able to secure a law-book, show it to 
the pupils, and lead them to talk freely of what 
they know about the laws of their country or town. 
Then lead the thought to God's laws. Have the 
pupils turn to the book of Leviticus, and explain 
to them how these were the first laws given to the 
children of Israel by God. Call attention to the Ten 
Commandments. These are also some of God's laws. 

Make it clear that the reason why God made laws 
for people to obey was because He knew there 
would be many things that it would not be best 
for us to do. So in these laws He has told us what 
these things are. 

David says in the lesson that he rejoices in God's 
laws and meditates on them, and that he will not for- 
get God's word. This is what God expects of all of us. 

How can we know most about God's laws? 

How can we best learn to obey them? 

What will happen to us if we do not obey them? 

What will God give us if we do obey them? 

97 



TRUST 

(Prov. 3:5, 6) 

After the reading of the Scripture lesson give a 
brief talk about what it means to trust. The pupils 
will tell you that they trust their parents. Ask 
them why they trust their parents. How do they 
know that there will be food for them to-morrow, 
and new clothes when they need them? Do we 
trust God in the same way? 

Sometimes we say that God does not answer 
our prayers. Make clear to the pupils that God 
always answers prayers, but that He does not al- 
ways answer them in the way we expect. Some- 
times God says, "No," just as our parents do. 
If it is good for us, they will give to us what we 
ask; but, if they do not think it is good for us, 
they will say, "No"; and God treats us in the 
same way. If a thing is good for us, He gives it; 
but if not, He says, "No." 

Ask the pupils to name some things that God 
gives us. They will name the sunshine, rain, our 
sleep, etc. If we can trust Him for these, why not 
trust Him for all things? 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 99 

Make a large brace on the blackboard, and ask 
the pupils to name some things that show God's 
thought and care for us. Write these in the brace. 
In another brace write some reasons why we should 
trust God, as they are mentioned by the pupils. 
Have the pupils turn to the sixth chapter of 
Matthew and read the story of how God cares for 
the birds and the flowers of the field. 

The following references may be used as a Bible 
reading: 

Ps. 40:4. Ps. 118:8. 

Ps. 146:3. Prov. 3:5. 

Ps. 91:2. Ps. 23:1. 

Ps. 11:1. Ps. 7:1. 

Prov. 29:25. Ps. 62:8. 

2Chron. 20:20. Ps. 5:11. 



OUR WORDS 

(Prov. 15:1-4) 

Illustrate the following story with chalk and 
blackboard as it is being told. Sketch the figures 
rapidly, and do not stop for detail or artistic effect. 

Once upon a time there were two boys who lived 
on the same street (draw a horizontal line to repre- 
sent a street). The boy that lived on the right- 
hand side of the street was named Phil, and the 
one on the left-hand side of the street, Harry. 
(Sketch the two boys on the blackboard, giving 
Phil a pleasing countenance by turning the corners 
of his mouth upward, and Harry a cross look by 
turning the corners of his mouth downward.) 

Now, Phil and Harry were jolly good boys, and 
usually had pretty good times; but there was one 
difference between them. Phil always had a smile 
on his face and a pleasant answer for every one; 
but Harry was sour and cross, and, if he did not feel 
just right, his answers were apt to be harsh and 
unpleasant. 

One day the boys w r ent nutting, and they had 
just found a fine hickory-tree over the fence in 

100 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 101 

Mr. Brown's field. (Draw a tree.) Now, of course, 
these boys, like most boys, never thought about 
whom the nuts might belong to. So over the fence 
they went, and Phil climbed to the very top of the 
tree to shake down the nuts. The nuts were just 
rattling down over Harry's head when a man 
came along the road (draw a man on the road) 
and said to Harry, "These are pretty nice hickory- 
nuts, aren't they, my boy?" 

"None of your business," said Harry. 

The man looked astonished, but said quietly, 
"I suppose, of course, you asked Mr. Brown whether 
you could gather these nuts." 

"No, I didn't," replied Harry; "and I don't 
intend to, either. He's an old crosspatch, and he'll 
never know who took his nuts." 

Now, Phil had been busily shaking the nuts, 
and had heard only Harry's last remark. He looked 
down through the leaves, and saw the gentleman, 
and at once remembering Harry's disposition, 
climbed down the tree, walked up to Mr. Brown, 
and, raising his hat politely, said, "Do these nuts 
belong to you, Mr. Brown?" 

Now, Mr. Brown was at once struck with the 
difference in the way in which the two boys had 
addressed him; and, as he looked into Phil's frank, 
honest eyes, he thought, "There is a boy who will 
grow up to be a good, honest man"; but he only 



102 ON THE HIGHWAY 

said to Phil, "Yes, I own the tree, but I am willing 
to share the nuts with a boy who is as polite and 
genteel as you are, but I do not think I have any 
nuts for a boy that cannot give a civil answer." 
Then, turning to Harry, the gentleman said: 
"My boy, you will learn one thing as you go through 
life, that 'a soft answer turneth away wrath, but 
a grievous word stirreth up anger.' If in a year 
from now you have learned to give a pleasant an- 
swer when you are spoken to, come with your bag, 
and I will share my nuts with you; but to-day I 
have none for you. You may go." Then, turning 
to Phil, he said, "Fill your bag with nuts, my boy, 
and remember that Mr. Brown is always willing to 
share his nuts with a boy who proves himself to be 
always honest and pleasant to others." 



KNOWN BY OUR DEEDS 

(Prov. 20: 11) 

We will make a chalk-talk of this lesson. First 
draw a man, or the face of a man, giving it a sour 
look by turning the corners of the mouth down- 
ward. Ask the pupils whether they ever saw such 
a person with a bad temper, and lead them to tell 
some of the deeds such persons do. Also draw a 
man with a beer-bottle. This will symbolize a 
drunkard. The pupils will tell you that he is a 
bully, and that his deeds are not good. Make 
some round figures to represent marbles, and lead 
the pupils to see that the first lessons in dishonesty 
begin with playing for keeps. Draw some playing- 
cards. These will represent the deeds of the gambler. 
Draw a girl with a new dress to represent pride. 

All the figures above will lead to the talk about 
our bad deeds. Now draw a man with a Bible; 
another, with a basket to represent kindness. 
Draw a boy with a smiling face and a man with a 
cross. These represent truthfulness and helpful- 
ness. 

The ships that cross the seas back and forth, 
103 



104 ON THE HIGHWAY 

and pass one another, always know to what country 
they belong: for each ship carries its own flag, 
and, just as the ships are known by the flags they 
carry, so we are known by the deeds we do. Some- 
times a pirate ship will carry a false flag so as to 
cover up its deeds; so some people try to cover up 
their deeds by an outward show of being good; 
but, just as the pirate ship is always found out, 
so our bad deeds are always found out. 
Teach Rom. 2: 6 as a memory verse. 



"REMEMBER THY CREATOR" 

(Eccl. 12:1) 



Things to remember 



I To do good 
To pray 
To love 
I To send rain 
To send sunshine 
To hear our prayers 
Bible 
Flowers 
Food 
etc. 
Why Remember God f He remembers us 

while Young? \ We should give Him our best 

r Tell them 
Love them 
Pray for them 
Help them 

One way to remember God is to commit to 
memory a part of the book He has given us. Have 
the pupils repeat as many Bible verses as they can 
remember. It would be a good plan to arrange 
with them to commit to memory one or more verses 
every week, and repeat them at the meetings. Ask 
that each one commit to memory the lesson text. 



What Reminders Have We? < 



How Can We Help Others 
to Remember Him? 



105 



THE LITTLE FOXES 

(Song of Sol. 2: 15) 

The following object-lesson may be given by a 
pupil to illustrate the lesson topic. You will need 
for it a glass of water and a little ink in a bottle. 
Let the pupil go forward, hold up the glass of water, 
and liken it to our lives. It is pure and clear and 
good, like our lives before sin comes into them. 
Then let the pupil put one drop of ink into the 
glass of water, and draw the illustration that just 
as the drop of ink has spoiled the water for use- 
fulness, so a little sin will spoil our lives and unfit 
them for the great usefulness that God meant them. 

After the object-lesson the superintendent may 
make a brief talk, or, better still, lead the pupils to 
tell about some of the "little foxes" that spoil 
our lives; and this may be taken up and talked 
about. 



106 



GOD'S PROPHETS AND THEIR MESSAGE 

(Jer. 25:4-7) 

Our lessons now go into the books of the prophets, 
and in order that you may be able to help the pupils 
it would be a good plan to find out all you can about 
the prophets yourself, who they were, when they 
lived, their mission, etc. A good Bible dictionary 
will be a great help in this. The following card, 
if carefully prepared and hung up in the room, will 
be a great help in these lessons, and will fix the 
names of the prophets permanently in the minds 
of the pupils. The card should be white and placed 
in a frame or on a board to keep it in shape. Then 
print plainly in large letters the names of the prophets. 
The following list may be used: 
Jonah Nahum Obadiah 

Joel Zephaniah Ezekiel 

Amos Jeremiah Haggai 

Hosea Habbakuk Zechariah 

Isaiah Daniel Malachi 

Micah 

Make clear to the pupils what a prophecy is. 
Use the common illustrations, the prophecy of the 

107 



108 ON THE HIGHWAY 

weather. Speak of the United States Weather 
Bureau, which prophesies the weather for every 
day. 

Lead the pupils to tell what kind of men the 
prophets were. By using the card the pupils will 
recall many of the prophets, and be able to tell 
something about them. 

In the following lessons found in the books of 
the prophets make it a point to have the pupils 
become acquainted with each one of them. Too 
often our children are left ignorant of these splendid 
men and their messages to us. 



ISAIAH TELLS ABOUT CHRIST 

(Isa. 53: 1-12) 

A pretty gift to accompany this lesson can be 
made by outlining on cards of the size of a calling- 
card, cut from cardboard or heavy paper, a cross, 
on which print the motto "Remember Jesus Christ" 
(2 Tim. 2:8). 

By this time the pupils will understand pretty 
well what a prophecy is; but it would be a good plan 
to talk it over again, so that they may have a clear 
understanding of just what this fifty-third of Isaiah 
means, that more than seven hundred years be- 
fore Christ came to the world God put it into Isaiah's 
heart to tell the story of His life. 

Have the chapter read very carefully, and lead 
the pupils to see how it all came to pass just as 
Isaiah told it. 

As the first verse of the chapter is read, ask one 
of the pupils to turn to Luke 7: 22 and read the 
verse. This will show the pupils how these verses 
answer Isaiah's question. 

Then have the first half of the second verse fol- 
lowed by Luke 2:52, then the second half of the 

109 



110 ON THE HIGHWAY 

second verse by Mark 6:3. Compare verses 3-8, 
inclusive, with Mark 15:1-5 and Luke 22:63-65. 
Then have the ninth verse read, followed by 
Luke 23:33, 50-53, and verses 10-12 followed by 
Luke 24:50-52. 

After these have been read compare the two 
stories, that in Isaiah with the one in the New 
Testament that has been read. The pupils will 
be very quick to see that they are exactly alike, that 
Isaiah foresaw the life of the Son of God as He 
would live it in this world. 

This will also make clear to the pupils that years 
and years before Christ came God was planning to 
send us a Redeemer. This will lead to a quiet 
talk about the great love that God had for us in 
giving His only begotten Son for our Saviour. 



THE SABBATH; HOW MAKE IT A 
DAY OF DELIGHT 

(Isa. 58: 13, 14) 

Have one of your committees meet with you 
during the week before this meeting and prepare 
two calendars as follows: 

Get two pieces of cardboard nine by twelve 
inches, and on each make a calendar to represent 
the one-day calendars that are used in offices. 
The top of the calendar may be decorated with a 
drawing or simply a pleasing and attractive picture. 
Below this print the word "Sunday." Under this on 
one calendar write the word "Kept" and on the 
other, the word "Broken." Take these to the 
meeting, together with a black crayon or pencil 
that will make a broad mark. After the reading 
of the Scripture lesson show the calendars; tell 
the pupils that the calendars represent our Sab- 
baths, and that we are going to name ways to 
keep the Sabbath as God would have us keep it, 
and ways in which the Sabbath is broken. 

Appoint two of your pupils who can print or 
write well; and, as the others name ways of keep- 
ill 



112 ON THE HIGHWAY 

ing or breaking the Sabbath, have them written 
neatly on the calendars. After these are filled hang 
them side by side on the wall of the room. The 
suggestions on them will lead to a general talk on 
the subject "How can we make the Sabbath a 
delight?" 



CALLED OF GOD: JEREMIAH, 
OURSELVES 

(Jeb. 1:6-10) 

If possible, get three acorns to use as the object- 
lesson. 

After the reading of the Scripture lesson show the 
acorns, and bring out the thought that they contain 
a germ of life, very small, to be sure, and if placed 
in the ground will grow into trees, strong and large 
and beautiful. 

Draw a wide mark across the blackboard to 
represent soil or earth. This can be done by using 
the side of the chalk. In this soil draw an acorn 
with a tiny sprout coming from it. Liken this to 
Jeremiah as he started when only a little boy to do 
God's work. Extend the sprout into a tree with 
several branches, and let the pupils name some of 
the things that Jeremiah's life stood for. As they 
are named, write them on the tree. 

"Plant" another acorn in the soil on the black- 
board, and liken it to Christ's life. Let one of the 
pupils tell the story of His boyhood, how He "grew 
and waxed strong." As you draw the tree, let it 

113 



114 ON THE HIGHWAY 

take the shape of a cross; and on the arms of the 
cross write some of the deeds of Christ's life as they 
are suggested by the pupils. Then plant another 
acorn. This will stand for the pupils. From this 
make a tree. Let the pupils name things they can 
do as they wax strong and grow into men and 
women. 

Let the following lessons be drawn: 

God "plants" us for some purpose of His own, 
and we can grow into good, useful persons as Jere- 
miah did. 

The call comes to us just as plainly as it came to 
the prophet. We often try to excuse ourselves by 
saying we are too young, or something of the kind; 
but God will not excuse us. We have the same 
promise that He made to Jeremiah, "Be not afraid, 
for I am with thee to deliver thee." 

Have the pupils use verse 7 as a memory verse, 
and follow with a prayer-service in which the 
thought may be that God will help us to be ready 
to do the work that He has for us to do. 



OUR COMMON BLESSINGS 

(Lam. 3: 22-25) 

In order to make the Scripture lesson clearer to 
the pupils, write on the blackboard some words 
that are synonymous with loving-kindness and 
compassion, such as " brotherly love," "kind- 
heartedness," "tenderness," "mercy," etc. 

Have one of the pupils tell how he is merciful to 
his dog, also one of the girls how she shows loving- 
kindness to her bird. 

Let the pupils name different ways of being 
merciful and of passing on the common blessings. 

Make it a point to simplify the thought of the 
lesson by using illustrations from every-day life. 

After the pupils have named ways in which we 
can be merciful to those about us and to our animal 
friends show that God is infinitely more merciful 
to us. 

Outline a pitcher on the blackboard, and ask 
the pupils to tell what the expression "milk of 
human kindness" means. As they name different 
things that it stands for, write the words on the 
mouth of the pitcher. 

115 



116 ON THE HIGHWAY 

In using the following acrostic print the word 
"merciful" with the letters arranged vertically 
instead of horizontally, and let the pupils complete 
the acrostic. The result will be something like this: 

M indful 

E very day 

R ighteous 

C ompassionate 
I n His name 

F orgiving 

U nfailing 

L ove 



HOW TO GET A NEW HEART 

(Ezek. 36:25-27) 

Take to the meeting for an object-lesson two of 
each of the following articles, one new and the other 
old: pocket-knife, books, shoes, or any other simi- 
lar articles, as many as may be convenient. 

Open the lesson talk by asking the pupils which 
they would rather have, a new thing or an old one. 
They will tell you the new. Here show the objects. 

Ask how we get the new things. They will tell 
you that we buy them. Then ask how we can get 
new hearts. Who can furnish them? Does God 
sell them? 

Have one of the pupils read Ezek. 36 : 26. 

Impress the thought that all may have new 
hearts just for the taking. We may have an old, 
distorted, sinful heart, which God will take away 
that He may give us a new, clean one in its place. 
Jesus said, "Ask, and ye shall receive." 

Shall we not take this gift that is given so lov- 
ingly and freely? 

With bowed heads let each of the pupils repeat 
David's prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, O 
God; and renew a right spirit within me." 

117 



HOW ONE BOY SHOWED HIS COLORS 

(Dan. 6: 10-23) 

Previous to the meeting arrange with four or five 
of your pupils to tell some of the Bible stories of 
Daniel at the meeting; for instance, let one tell the 
story of his abstinence from meat and drink as 
found in Dan. 1; another, the story of his inter- 
preting the king's dream, as found in the fourth 
chapter of Daniel; another, the story of Daniel 
in the lions' den, found in the sixth chapter of 
Daniel. 

As the story of our lesson is told, sketch a window 
on the blackboard. Ask the pupils to tell you 
what to name the window. Lead them to tell you, 
"Prayer." Write the name over the window. 
Draw from the pupils the lesson that each of us 
should have a window in our hearts, which looks 
toward the city of God. Draw a heart around the 
window. This window in our hearts is prayer. 
But before we can have this window of prayer we 
must have faith. Get a definition of faith. Lead 
the pupils to study Daniel's faith as one after 
another of the stories is told. Daniel had faith to 

118 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 119 

believe God would hear his prayer, and this gave 
him courage. We can get courage to do right in 
the same way in which Daniel got it. 

The story is told of how a soldier in the Northern 
army was sent South as a spy. Now, when a soldier 
is acting as a spy, he has to be very careful and 
keep out of sight of the enemy, or he will be either 
shot or captured. 

Night came on, and the soldier knew he was 
among the enemy. He felt that every move he made 
might betray him into their hands. So he cau- 
tiously crept into a thicket, and lay down near a 
log. He felt all alone with not a friend near him. 
He could hear the movements of an army about 
him, and was sure the enemy were closing in on 
him. After many long hours dawn came, then 
the light of day; and, as the soldier cautiously 
raised his head to see the army of the enemy, be- 
hold! there stood line after line of the Union soldiers, 
his own army of the North. They, not the enemy, 
had surrounded him in the night. Just so with us. 
When we feel all alone, as Daniel did, if we but 
look around us, through the eyes of faith, we shall 
see a host of friends, and God, who is always on the 
side of those who have courage to do right. 



A LIONS' DEN 

(Dan. 6: 19-23) 

Let the story of Daniel in the lions' den be told 
by the committee that has this lesson in charge. 
Arrange for one of the pupils to be prepared to tell 
what kind of king Darius was. Of what country 
was he king, and what people did he rule? Who 
were his captives? 

Review the incidents of Daniel's life. For what 
reason was he thrown into the lions' den? 

Who was the happier that night, the king in his 
richly appointed bed, or Daniel in the den of lions? 

Why was Daniel the happier? 

What was the effect of Daniel's faith? 

Can we have the same kind of faith? 

Draw a crown with a brace after it, also an angel's 
wing and a brace. Write in the brace with the 
crown a brief story, or words that will indicate the 
kind of people Daniel lived among, what they 
worshipped, what kind of king held him captive; 
and in the brace with the wing write some words 
that will tell the story of Daniel's life and purposes. 

Lead the pupils to see that we often meet "lions." 
120 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 121 

Sometimes we may be thrust among them as Daniel 
was. Teach the lesson that our "lions" are the sins 
that we meet day by day. Sometimes we meet 
them willingly, but other times we are cast among 
them; but, if we use Daniel's weapons, prayer and 
faith, these lions will not hurt us. 



SHORT-LIVED GOODNESS 

(Hos. 6:4) 

Combine with the Scripture reading Matt. 13: 5-7. 
This will illustrate more clearly the topic of "Short- 
lived Goodness." 

Ask the pupils whether they ever pretended to be 
good when in reality they had been naughty. Also 
ask whether they have ever known people whose 
outside life seemed good and righteous while at 
heart they were deceitful and treacherous. 

Write the word "Deserter" on the blackboard, 
and tell the story of soldiers who deserted just 
at the time when they were needed most. They 
liked the uniform, the marching, and the band; 
but they did not like to fight; so the night before 
the battle they would sneak out and get away. 

It is just so with some Christians. They like to 
dress up nicely, and go to church, and be in some 
elaborate entertainment; but, when it comes to 
real Christian service, they always have some 
excuse. 

Now imagine that we are some kind of seed, and 
are going to be planted in the ground. Should 

122 



OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 123 

we rather be planted in the rich soil, and grow 
strong day by day and year by year, or in the 
"rocky soil," where we should spring up when the 
sun comes out, and flourish for a little while, then 
droop and die? « 

Write the word "Faithful" on the blackboard. 
Draw a brace after it, and let the pupils name 
Bible characters who have been faithful. Also 
draw a brace after the word "deserter," and fill 
it with Bible characters who have displayed "short- 
lived goodness." 



Deserter < 



Faithful { 



Cain 

Esau 

Jonah 

Judas 

Moses 

Abraham 

David 

Daniel 

Paul 



Which shall we be like when we grow to man- 
hood and womanhood? 



A MAN WHO SHIRKED 

(Jonah 1: 1-3) 

Make a chalk-talk of this lesson. In advance 
arrange with one of the boys to tell the story of 
Jonah as given in the first chapter. As the story 
is being told, outline a map which will show the 
location of the places mentioned in the lesson. 
Also draw a ship on the Mediterranean Sea to repre- 
sent the journey which Jonah made. 

Place emphasis on Jonah's running away from 
his duty, and trying to escape from the presence of 
God. 

Sketch some boys and girls on the blackboard. 
Draw a brace on each side of these, and over the 
left-hand brace write, "Boys and girls who shirk"; 
over the right-hand brace, "Boys and girls who 
are true." Then have the pupils fill the braces 
with words that tell what kind of boys and girls 
shirk and what kind are true. Beneath these 
write the words "Remedy for shirking," and draw 
a brace after it. Then let the pupils tell what will 
help a person who has been in the habit of shirking. 



124 



THE LAST JOURNEY IN THE OLD 
TESTAMENT 

(Mal. 4: 1-6) 

After the Scripture lesson has been read call 
special attention to the fifth and sixth verses. 
Then have Matt. 11:11-14 and Luke 1:17 read. 

Make clear to the pupils that the prophecy of 
Malachi has reference to John the Baptist, as the 
two references in the New Testament show us. 

Draw from the pupils the story of John the 
Baptist. Have one of them read John 1 : 6-8, 23. 

Show that John was sent by God to tell the people 
that Christ was coming. Illustrate this by the 
advance agents of our big shows. They tell the 
people by the big bills they paste up on the boards 
that something grand and wonderful is coming. 
So John the Baptist was sent by God to tell every 
one that some one grand and wonderful, some one 
that would be a Saviour for all the world, was 
coming. 

It would be well to let the message of the New 
Testament enter into this lesson. Have the pupils 
tell the story of the Christ-child, and by a few 

125 



126 ON THE HIGHWAY 

well-chosen questions bring out the story of His 
life and the great purpose of His coming. 

Write in bold letters on the blackboard, "For 
God so loved the world, that he gave his only be- 
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should 
not perish, but have eternal life." 



PART TWO 
NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 



NEW TESTAMENT 
WHAT THE WISE MEN FOUND 

A wonderful thing happened this first Christ- 
mas. Up to this time there had been a kind and 
loving Father who had made the world, and created 
man, and many other things, all of which showed 
much loving thought and planning. Not only did 
He give us food, clothes, homes, and many other 
needful things, but beautiful flowers, rocks, music, 
birds, etc., to enjoy. 

After He had given us all of these things He saw 
that there was another greater want than any He 
had given us. We needed a Saviour. 

Have the class repeat John 3: 16. 

Have one pupil tell of Joseph and Mary stopping 
at the inn, and being put into a stable to sleep. 

Another pupil may tell of the visit of the wise 
men. Help to emphasize the thought that they 
found the Saviour of the world, that the little 
Babe in the manger was the Redeemer of the world, 
that while the wise men were among the first 
to find Him, we must all find Him, and love and 
worship Him just as they did. 

129 



130 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Suggestions. This lesson should be selected as 
a Christmas lesson. 

The idea of why we give Christmas presents 
should be carefully explained. 

A week previous the children may be asked 
each to bring a gift to the class or meeting. Urge 
that they be real gifts, not just something that 
they do not care for. A small Christmas tree can 
be trimmed with these, and the pupils present it 
to a poor family, who will not be apt to have a 
very merry Christmas. 

Or a Christmas box can be planned, and sent to 
some unfortunate children, to a children's hospital, 
or refuge. 



THE BOY JESUS 

(Luke 2: 45-50) 

Arrange a meeting with one of your committees, 
and prepare the following object-lesson: 

Secure a piece of pasteboard or a wooden board 
about two feet square. Cover this with gold, or 
silver paper; or, if this is not to be had, black cloth 
will answer. Outline on this a large cross, and in 
the centre of it mount a picture of Christ. Take 
this and a bottle of paste to the class. 

In your opening talk tell the pupils that we are 
going to have a new pupil join our class to-day. 
He wants to become one of us, and stay all the year, 
and longer if we will let Him. Here show the 
picture mounted on the board, and ask the pupils 
whether they know who this is that wants to join 
our class. Here a vote may be taken whether 
they will admit Him or not. 

After the lesson story has been read, draw from 
the pupils all the incidents in Christ's life up to 
this time: His birth, the visit of the wise men, 
the flight into Egypt, His home in Nazareth, etc. 
Bring out clearly that Jesus was about His Father's 

131 



132 ON THE HIGHWAY 

business, also the lesson of His quick obedience 
to His parents when they found Him. Make 
clear also that His return to Nazareth with His 
parents meant eighteen years of seclusion and work, 
but that these years were the preparation for His 
great ministry and a gaining of strength to bear 
the sins of the world and to die on the cross. 



CHRIST CHOOSING HIS HELPERS 

(John 1:35-45) 

Have one of the older pupils who can draw well 
prepare the following object-lesson, which will not 
only be useful for this lesson, but will be a help 
throughout the year, and if carefully prepared 
can be hung in the room and referred to at any 
time during the year's work. On a piece of white 
cardboard or heavy white paper about eighteen 
inches square outline a wheel with twelve spokes. 
The centre or hub of the wheel should contain a 
cross, which will represent Christ. Around the 
tire write the word "World," and write the apostles* 
names on the spokes. This will represent the twelve 
apostles centred in Christ and reaching out into the 
world. 

On a previous Sunday tell the pupils to find out 
all they can about the twelve apostles; to study 
the characteristics of each and his particular rela- 
tion to Christ; and to learn what trades they fol- 
lowed, what they gave up in order to follow Christ, 
etc. 

Let this lesson be a character-study of the apostles. 
133 



134 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Make it so plain to the pupils that they will feel 
acquainted with these men when the lesson is over. 

Teach the lesson that, if we would bring others to 
Jesus, we must do just as the apostles did, and tell 
our relatives and friends about Jesus. The first 
and most important thing is that we must follow 
Jesus ourselves, and those about us will see Jesus 
in our lives and know that we have been with Him. 

An object-lesson may be used that will be very 
pleasing to the pupils. Place one common-sized 
candle in a candlestick, and have four small Christ- 
mas candles of different colors; these may be made 
to stand up by taking for each a piece of cardboard 
two inches square, warming the lower end of the 
candle over a flame, and holding it against the 
centre of the cardboard until the wax cools. Light 
the large candle, which will represent Christ. Take 
two of the little candles in your hands; one we 
will call Andrew; the other, Peter; now light the 
one we call Andrew from the larger candle; then 
with it light the one we call Peter; then treat the 
other two small candles in the same way, calling 
one Philip and the other Nathanael. This will 
show to the pupils how we can keep taking God's 
light to others, and in that way the whole world 
may become light with God's love. 



A BEAUTIFUL WELL 

(John 4:5-10) 

Have in readiness a sand-board filled with moist 
sand, some evergreen branches, a few cut flowers, 
a number of small stones, a tiny bucket with cord 
attached (this may be made of brown paper), a 
small glass, a small cup, and a cross about three 
inches high. 

I think the lessons more effective when the work 
of arranging the sand-board is performed by the 
pupils, guided, of course, by the teacher. 

In arranging the sand-board first sink the cup 
in the sand, and let it be filled about half full of 
water. Upon this let the small stones be piled to 
make the curb. This will represent Jacob's well. 
Then the branches and flowers may be stuck into 
the sand in an attractive manner. While this is 
being done, let the lesson talk bring out the story 
of how Jesus, being tired with His long journey, 
stopped at Jacob's well for a drink of water. How 
refreshing it must have been! for in that climate 
the sand is very hot, and one gets more fatigued in 
walking than one does in our own land. Here place 

135 



136 ON THE HIGHWAY 

the small cross beside the well. This will represent 
Christ at the well. Also fill the glass with water, 
and lead the pupils to tell how necessary water is 
to our life, that we could not live without it. Then 
speak of the water of life, and lead the children to 
see how it is just as necessary to our spiritual life 
as water is to our physical life. 

Away in the upper peninsula of Michigan lives 
a very dear old lady. She is bent and crippled with 
rheumatism, and has to walk with a cane. Now 
in that section of the country there are very few 
churches, and many people never hear about Jesus; 
and the little children have no Sunday-school where 
they may go and learn about Him. Grandmother 
McKinney loves Jesus. There is no church near 
her home; but some distance away there is a school- 
house, and once in a long time some good man goes 
there and preaches about Jesus. To get to the 
schoolhouse Grandmother McKinney has to go 
down a steep hill, cross a ravine, and climb a hill 
on the other side; but she loves so much to hear 
about her dear Master that she slowly and pain- 
fully travels that difficult road to and from the 
schoolhouse. 

It grieved her heart very much to feel that there 
were so many people in our land that did not know 
of Jesus; so she began to plan how she could help 
to send some one to preach the gospel to these 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 137 

people. What could she do? She could not get 
away from home, and she had no money to give; 
so "she did what she could' 5 ; she pieced a quilt, 
sat and toiled day after day with her dim eyes and 
crippled hands till she had it finished. Then one 
day, when one of those good missionaries who "go 
about doing good" came to Grandmother McKin- 
ney's house, she gave him the quilt and told him 
to sell it for what he could get, and give the money 
to the home-missionary society. 

May we not learn a beautiful lesson from Grand- 
mother McKinney? 



CHRIST AND THE NOBLEMAN'S SON 

(John 4:46-53) 

Draw a heart at the right side of the blackboard 
and a cross at the left side. Draw a line between 
them. The heart represents the nobleman's son, 
who was sick at Capernaum. The cross represents 
Christ, and the line a wireless telegraph. 

Here have the story of the nobleman's son told 
by the pupils. Christ was in another place, so He 
could not go and see this boy just then, but he sent 
a message of love and healing. Here make clear to 
the pupils how it is not necessary for Christ to be 
visibly present, that this message of love and healing 
can get to any one just as it went to this nobleman's 
son. 

Have the pupils tell what a miracle is. Make 
clear to them why Christ used miracles, and use 
verse 48 and the truth that Christ is ever present 
and ready if we will but go to Him and ask for help 
as did this nobleman. 

Arrange with your flower committee to meet 
with you during the week. Let the members make 

138 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 139 

some small envelopes. You will need as many 
envelopes as you have pupils. Put into each en- 
velope some seed. It is not material what kind of 
seed is used; wheat, corn, beans, or different kinds 
of flower-seeds may be used. After the seeds have 
been put into the envelopes seal them. On each 
envelope write "Faith Seeds." 

Pass the envelopes of seeds. Tell the pupils 
these are "faith seeds." Ask them why they are, 
and lead them to see that the fact that we plant 
the seeds in the ground shows we have faith and 
believe they will grow. Tell them to take the seeds 
home, and sometime during the week plant them 
in a box and set the box in a window; to water 
and care for them, and bring them to the class at 
Easter. Then we will finish our lesson on "Faith 
Seeds." 



CHRIST'S BEATITUDES 

(Matt. 5:1-12) 

Have one of your committees meet with you 
and make for an object-lesson and gift some little 
cardboard pitchers. These will be very pretty if 
made of tinted cardboard. 

They are to represent the bottle of precious 
ointment that Mary poured on Jesus' feet. 

On each pitcher have one of the Beatitudes 
neatly written. A tiny ribbon may be tied in the 
handle or around the neck of the pitcher. These 
will look very pretty if pinned to a large sheet of 
pasteboard and hung in the front of the class- 
room. 

Number the pupils one, two, three, four, etc., 
and place the numbers on the blackboard far enough 
apart to make a small brace after each. 

Ask each pupil, beginning at number one, to rise 
and repeat the Beatitude he likes best. Write a 
part of the Beatitude in the brace, and sum up 
in a word or two the reason why he likes that Be- 
atitude, and place it under the Beatitude, some- 
what as follows: 

140 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 141 

1. Blessed are the pure in heart — 

If I keep my heart pure, I can see God. 

2. Blessed are the peace-makers — 
It is right to make peace. 

3. Blessed are the meek — 
"Meek" means "gentle." 

After each pupil has taken part in this way let 
the little cardboard pitchers be passed, after which 
ask that all heads be bowed, and ask God to help 
them remember the promise of each Beatitude. 



A "SHINE-OUT" LESSON 

(Matt. 5:13-16) 

Have for an object-lesson some salt, some white 
sand or powdered chalk, a candle, a half-bushel 
measure or a box, and two glasses of water. 

A very pretty gift to accompany this lesson 
would be a card with a candle outlined, and the 
Scripture reference, Matt. 5:13-16, printed neatly 
on it. Prepare one for each pupil. 

A suggested object-talk: 

Pupils, I have in these dishes two kinds of ma- 
terial that seem to be very much alike. I will pass 
them among you and ask you to feel them, but 
not taste them. Now I will ask Mary to read the 
first verse of our Scripture lesson. I will put these 
materials into the two glasses of water, and we 
shall see whether they taste differently. You tell 
me one is salt; now, what is the other? Does it 
taste like salt? It does not. Then we shall call it 
salt that has lost its savor. That is, it has lost 
its taste; and, if mother was cooking our dinner, 
and should put in some of this (holding up the 
glass with the sand in it), would the dinner taste 

142 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 143 

good? No, indeed; we could scarcely eat it. But, 
if she put in some of the real salt, it would make 
our dinner good. 

Now can you tell me what Christ meant when 
He called us the salt of the earth? (Draw out the 
meaning of the text, so that the children may see 
that, as salt makes our food good, so we should make 
the world good. Have your candle lighted under 
the box, or light it in such a way that the pupils 
will not see it.) 

Now, pupils, I have a candle in this room; do 
you see it anywhere? Does it make the room any 
lighter? Why not? Robert may read the four- 
teenth and fifteenth verses of our lesson. (As 
these are being read, uncover the candle, and set 
it where all can see the light.) 

Now let us read the sixteenth verse together. 
Christ is the light of the world, and He says we may 
also be the light of the world, if we will but let our 
candles shine, and not hide them. 

How many of us want to shine out for Jesus? 
(Ask the pupils to name ways in which boys and 
girls may shine for Jesus.) Now let every head be 
bowed and every eye closed, and let every one of 
us ask Jesus to help us to be the "light of the world " 
and the "salt of the earth." 



THE KIND OF PRAYING JESUS LIKES 

(Matt. 6:7-13; 7:11) 

Write the subject of the lesson near the top of 
the blackboard. After the first Scripture reference 
is read make a brace on the blackboard, and write 
the word "How" in front of it. Then draw from 
the pupils the different teachings of the Lord's 
Prayer. It may work out somewhat like the fol- 
lowing: 

To address God 

To pray for His kingdom to come 

To ask for our daily food 

To ask Him to forgive us and to help us to forgive others 

To keep us from temptation 

To rescue us from evil 



HOW 



The next Scripture reference tells us why we 
are to ask. Have this read, and make another 
brace with the word "Why" before it. 



WHY^ 



1. We must ask God if we want Him to give us things. 

2. We must seek God if we hope to keep near Him. 
If we seek, we shall find. 

3. We must knock at God's door if we want Him to open 

to us. 
"Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." 
144 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 145 

A third reference is 1 Thess. 5: 17. This passage 
tells us when to pray. 

Have two or three of the older pupils study the 
subject of wireless telegraphy. This should be 
arranged for on a previous Sunday. Also have one 
of the boys make two telephone-poles, about eighteen 
inches high, with the lower ends fastened into a 
board so that they will stand upright. These 
poles will represent the signal-stations of wireless 
telegraphy. On the top of one hang a card with the 
word "God" on it, and on the other a card with the 
word "Ourselves." 

After the wireless telegraphy has been explained 
and talked over by the pupils apply it to the lesson, 
and show how prayer is talking to God; and just 
as the operator in wireless telegraphy believes his 
message will be received, so we must believe that 
God hears us when we pray. If man is able to 
establish connection between two distant points, 
may we not believe that God in His infinite power 
can establish connection between ourselves and 
Him? 



THE SABBATH DAY 

(Luke 4:16-22) 

Write or print near the top of the blackboard 
the words, "Jesus went to church/' Under this 
draw two long braces. Before one of them write 
the words "What to Do on Sunday/* and in front 
of the other, "What Not to Do on Sunday." 

Have the pupils name things that are right to do 
on the Sabbath and things that are not right to 
do on the Sabbath. As these are named, write 
them in the proper brace. It will work out some- 
what as follows: 

Go to church 

Go to Sunday-school 

Go to Junior meeting 

Read the Bible 

Read good books 

Sing good songs 

Be happy 

Make others happy 

Be lazy 

Go to ball games 

Go visiting for pleasure 

Go on excursions 

Loaf about 

Have a feast 



What to Do on Sunday 



What Not to Do on Sunday < 



146 



FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE 

(Mark 4: 14-20) 

Have a pupil read, or, better still, tell in his own 
words, the story of the sower who went out to sow 
the seed, as the story is found in Mark 4:3-9. 
As he tells the story, sketch figures to represent 
the highway, stony places, thorns, and fertile soil. 
After each of these draw a brace. If possible, use 
different-colored chalk for each of these pictures. 
After the pupil finishes telling the story lead the 
children to talk about the lesson text, apply it to 
each place where the seed fell, and bring out the 
thought that Christ meant to teach about each. 
Be sure in this lesson, as in all others, to let the 
pupils do the work, and just as far as possible use 
their own words in filling in the braces. 

Wayside f Trampled down by sin 

{ Carried away by pleasures 

Stony Ground ( C , hoked by anxiety, cares, worries, 
[ pleasures, and sms 

Thorns / R eaQl y to promise, but fails to do things 
\ Changeable, unreliable 

Cood C d / Those who love God and take care of 
\ the precious seed He sows in their hearts 
147 



JESUS FEEDS THE HUNGRY 

(Mark 6: 35-44) 

Prepare the sand-board as follows: 

Heap the moist sand up so that it will represent 
a hillside. Stick some branches of trees around the 
sides and near the top of this. Flowers and moss 
may also be used to beautify it and give it a land- 
scape effect. Have pebbles or sticks placed close 
together to represent the people. These should 
almost cover the hillside. Near the foot of the 
hill place a small cross to represent Christ. 

Have one of your committees make twelve little 
baskets similar to May baskets which almost every 
child knows how to make; also bring some small 
pieces of bread to represent the fishes used by 
Christ in this miracle. 

Let the lesson be read and thoroughly talked over 
by the pupils. Draw out all the incidents and facts 
regarding the multitude of people who had fol- 
lowed Christ around the lake. It had been a long, 
tiresome journey; and the people were weary and 
hungry. There seemed to be no way to feed them. 

148 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 149 

There was not sufficient food in this section of the 
country, and Christ saw that it was He alone that 
could feed them; so He performed this wonderful 
miracle, not only that they should have their physical 
hunger satisfied, but that He might show the glory 
of God and His divine power to this great multi- 
tude of people. 

After the lesson thoughts have been discussed 
lead the pupils to make the application by having 
them name the good things that God is always giv- 
ing us. These may be written on the blackboard as 
named. Lead the children to see that as twelve 
basketfuls were left after feeding the multitude, 
so God always gives us more than enough. 

What should we do with what is left over? 

How may we help to feed the hungry? 

Should we ever be wasteful? 

Can we always depend on God to supply our 
needs? 

After the lesson is ended the twelve baskets may 
be filled with flowers and sent to the hospital, or 
be taken to sick and aged people. 



A LESSON IN FORGIVENESS 

(Matt. 18: 21, 22) 

Arrange a meeting with one of your committees 
during a previous week, and have them make a 
number of small cardboard crosses. These should 
be quite tiny, not more than an inch long. On 
each one print or write a Bible reference. Those 
given in the daily Bible readings may be used. 
Also plan with the committee to bring a number of 
small bouquets to the meeting. There should be 
enough bouquets and crosses for each pupil to be 
provided with one. Place a cross in the centre of 
each bouquet of flowers, and arrange the bouquets 
in a pretty mound on a table in the classroom. 

After the lesson has been read let it be carefully 
talked over, and bring out just what Christ meant 
by forgiving seventy times seven. Lead the pupils 
to see that He used this expression simply to show 
that we are always to forgive, that there are no 
limitations on our forgiveness. Call attention to the 
sentence in the Lord's Prayer that says, "For- 
give us our debts as we forgive our debtors," and 
show that this means that just as we forgive people, 
so God will forgive us. 

150 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 151 

Show to the pupils that it is just as easy to ex- 
cuse an offence as it is always to be finding fault. 

Distribute the bouquets, and let each pupil find 
and read the reference that is written on the cross 
hidden among his flowers. Each pupil may keep 
his flowers, or they may be sent to a hospital or to 
some sick and shut-in person. 



JESUS IN OUR HOMES 

(Luke 10:38-42; John 11:5) 

We shall make a chalk-talk of this lesson. Sketch 
a house on the blackboard in such a manner that 
the different rooms will show, and write the name 
of each room, such as "Library," "Dining-room," 
"Guest-room," etc. 

Lead the pupils to tell how we may make Christ 
welcome in our homes. After this has been 
thoroughly talked over, ask in what way we can 
make Him an inmate of our library or living-room. 
Draw braces in the rooms, and, as the pupils sug- 
gest ways of welcoming Christ in the different rooms 
in our home, write the suggestions in their ap- 
propriate braces. For instance: 

f Have only good books there 
Library { Make a place for the Bible on the library table 
[ Have family worship 

r\--„ „^™ f Return thanks for food 
Dining-room < _ . . . 

[ .bat m moderation 

\ "Christ is the unseen guest in this home." 

Bedroom ( Pray night and mornin g 

\ Trust God in the darkness 

152 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 153 

Other rooms may be added if you see fit. The 
pupils will no doubt have appropriate suggestions 
ready for each room. 

Now draw a heart on the blackboard. Ask a 
Junior to read Rev. 3:20. Point out that Jesus 
comes to our hearts and we can take Him into our 
homes when we have Him in our hearts. 

Ask the Juniors to tell how He knocks at the 
heart's door. By His word, by the preaching of 
His servants, by conscience, which tells us to let 
Him in. 

If you can get a picture showing Christ at the 
door, show it to the Juniors, and point out that the 
door has no outside latch. We must open it from the 
inside. 



OUR NEIGHBORS 

(Luke 10: 25-37) 

In giving this chalk-talk draw the pictures while 
you are telling the story. There will be no criti- 
cisms if they are imperfect. Our pupils are not 
critics, and these chalk-talks or picture stories are, 
I believe, enjoyed and appreciated more than 
anything else. 

A Parable 

Many years ago, near the Dead Sea, (can you 
tell me where that is?) there was a place named 
Jericho. Leading from this town to Jerusalem was 
a desolate, rocky, mountainous road. (Draw some 
mountains. This can be done by using the side of 
a short piece of chalk and making a few strokes 
upward on each side of the road or passage.) Rob- 
bers used to hide along this road, and attack people 
that passed by. 

One day a certain man had to travel this road; 
and, as he was going along, some thieves came out 
and took all he had, his clothes and money, and 
beat him until he was nearly dead. Then they 

154 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 155 

left him there in the road. (Draw the man in 
the road.) 

Now in a little while a priest (who were the 
priests?) came along. He saw this poor man lying 
there suffering, but he did not go near. He probably 
was afraid of the robbers, or was so full of himself 
that he had no room in his heart for any one else. 
So he stepped over to the other side of the road, 
and went on. (Draw a small, narrow heart to 
represent the priest, and write the word "Self" 
in it.) 

After a time Mr. Levite, a man who prided him- 
self on being very good, came along. He stopped 
and looked at the helpless man, and probably 
thought, "I don't know this man; he is not my 
friend, and I have no time to bother with him"; 
so he passed on. (Represent the Levite in the 
same way as the priest.) 

Now it happened that a Samaritan (have the 
pupils tell something about the Samaritans) was 
passing along this road, and he came to the place 
where the man lay. (Draw a large heart in the 
road. It should be large enough to take in the 
figure representing the man.) He stooped over 
him, and his heart was touched. He just set about 
helping that poor man. He took some cloth he 
had, and some oil and wine, which were used then 
for pouring on wounds; then he helped the wounded 



156 OX THE HIGHWAY 

man upon his own horse, and went slowly and 
tenderly to an inn. (Draw an inn.) He gave the 
innkeeper some money, and told him to take good 
care of this man, and that when be returned he 
would pay whatever more was right. 

After the story has been told ask each pupil 
to tell what lesson he has learned from it. Teach 
the following verse: "Thou shalt love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; 
and thy neighbor as thyself." 



JESUS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD 

(John 10: 11-16) 

After the lesson is read have the pupils tell you 
the qualities of a good shepherd. As points are 
suggested, have some of the pupils who have been 
supplied with slips with just the verse or part of a 
verse written out, read or repeat the text that tells 
about that particular quality. The following 
questions and their answers will give the idea: 

Where will a good shepherd enter in? "But he 
that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the 
sheep." 

How does he call his sheep? "The sheep hear 
his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name." 

Does he drive them out? He "leadeth them 
out." "He goeth before them, and the sheep 
follow him." 

What would happen if a stranger should try to 
get the sheep out in the same way? "A stranger 
will they not follow, but will flee from him; for 
they know not the voice of strangers." 

What is the difference between the good shepherd 
and a hireling? "The hirelong fleeth, because he is 

157 



158 ON THE HIGHWAY 

an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." "The 
good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep." 

What care does the good shepherd have for 
other sheep besides his own flock? "Other sheep 
I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must 
bring; and they shall hear my voice, and there 
shall be one fold and one shepherd." 

A number of other qualities may be brought out 

by appropriate questions. 

„„ if , * ( People who need God's care 

Who are the sheep? j Ev £ ybody 

f He loves them 
Why do the sheep know the ! He cares for them 
true shepherd? j He seeks them 

( He tends them 

(Love Him 
Follow Him 
Obey Him 
Satan 



Who is the wolf? { A 

{ All who are enemies of God 

W T hy should the sheep fear f He will destroy them 

the wolf? \ Scatter them from the fold, etc. 

„ ., . . . f Keep close to the shepherd 

Howmay thelambsbe gtay near ^ shelter rf ^ {o , d 

saved ' I Not follow other voices 



THE CHILDREN'S HOSANNAS 

(Matt. 21:15, 16) 

Lead the pupils to tell what they think it means 
for children to praise Jesus. 

Number the pupils, and let each one take the verse 
in the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Psalm that 
corresponds to his number. If there are more pupils 
than verses, two or more may take the same verse. 

Make a large brace on the blackboard, and in 
front of it write the words "How to Praise God." 

Now the pupils, with their Bibles, may find 
ways to praise God. Ask number one to rise, read 
his verse, and tell how it says God may be praised. 
It may be summed up in the following or a similar 
sentence; "Bless His name forever." Write this 
in the brace. 

Number two may rise, read his verse, and tell 
how it says we should praise God, and so proceed 
until all the verses have been read. If two have the 
same number, let them both rise, let one read the 
verse, and let the other tell the lesson it brings to us. 

The following brace is suggestive. Use the 
thoughts of the pupils as far as possible. 

159 



160 



ON THE HIGHWAY 



1. Bless His name forever. 

2. Praise Him every day. 

3. Praise Him because He is great. 

4. Praise Him to one another. 

5. Speak of His glory, honor, majesty, and works. 

6. Declare His greatness. 

7. Sing praises unto God. 

8. Praise Him because He is full of love and 
merciful. 

9. Praise Him because He is good. 
How to J 10. Let our works praise Him. 

Praise God ) 11. Speak of His kingdom. 

12. Make known to others His acts. 

13. Tell others of God's eternal kingdom. 

14. Tell others that He helps and comforts. 

15. Praise Him for providing for us. 

16. Praise Him for satisfying us. 

17. Praise Him for His goodness. 

18. Praise Him for hearing our prayers. 

19. Praise Him for answering our prayers. 

20. Praise Him for saving the good. 

21. Our mouths should praise God forever. 

The blackboard exercises should be interspersed 
with verses of songs so as not to get tiresome. 



THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT 

(Matt. 22:35-40) 

Draw a brace on the blackboard, and before it 
write the words "Ten Commandments." Ask the 
pupils to repeat the Ten Commandments; and, as 
each one is repeated, condense it and write in the 
brace. After this draw another brace, and in this 
write, "Matt. 22:37." If there is room, write the 
words instead of the reference. Enclose the word 
"and" between two small braces; then write the 
second commandment or the reference to it, 
Matt. 22:39. This will work out somewhat as 
follows: 





r 1 




2 




3 




4 


Ten 


5 


Commandments 


6. 




7 




8 




9 




10 



Matt. 22: 37 and Matt. 22: 39 



Lead the pupils to tell the story of the Ten Com- 
mandments, who gave them, to whom they were 

161 



162 ON THE HIGHWAY 

given, when they were given, etc. After these 
points have been carefully talked over, call at- 
tention to the lesson text. Carefully explain what 
Christ meant to teach by this, and lead the pupils 
to see that these commandments include all the 
others, and that, if the greatest commandment is 
fulfilled, all the Ten Commandments will be kept. 

How can we live the greatest commandment? 

What kind of world would this be if all lived it? 



OUR TALENTS 

(Matt. 25:14-30) 

Arrange for this lesson on a preceding Sunday. 
Ask each pupil to bring to the class from six to 
one dozen nice potatoes. Also provide a bushel- 
basket to put them in. These can be used as a 
thank-offering for the benefit of the needy. Also 
bring two cents to the class, one old and dull, the 
other bright and shiny. Tell a story something 
like the following to illustrate the lesson of the 
talents: 

Once upon a time there were two boys who were 
great chums. The one boy's name was Joe, and 
the other's Carl. One day the boys were sitting on 
the edge of the sidewalk, looking over the things 
that they had in their pockets. You can well 
imagine something of the assortment if you have 
ever been acquainted with a boy. There were 
nails and screws, jack-knives and marbles, top- 
strings and fish-hooks galore. Pretty soon Joe 
fished a little deeper into one of his pockets, and 
drew out an old, rusty-looking cent. (Here show 
the dull cent.) 

163 



164 ON THE HIGHWAY 

''Hello, Carl, what do you think? I found a 
penny." 

"O, that's nothing," replied Carl. "I have more 
money than that. Uncle John was at our house 
the other day, and gave me a quarter. I spent 
most of it, though"; and Carl pulled out a five- 
cent piece and a bright cent. (Here show the new 
cent.) 

"Let's go down to Hank Miller's, and buy some 
gum with these cents," said Carl. 

"Can't do it," replied Joe. "I've got to go out 
to Farmer Brown's, and get my father some seed- 
potatoes. I don't think I'll spend my cent for gum, 
anyway." 

Now Carl went down to the grocery-store, but 
the new cent looked very good to him; so he thought 
he would not spend it; but instead he spent his 
five cents for gum. Then he took the tin-foil off 
the gum, and wrapped his new cent carefully in it. 
When he got home, he put it away in a drawer 
with some keepsakes he had. 

When Joe got out to Mr. Brown's, he found the 
farmer planting potatoes, and was very much 
interested in the proceeding. Mr. Brown told him 
how he cut the eyes out of the potatoes for seed, 
how deep and how far apart to plant them, how 
many times he hoed them throughout the season, 
until Joe thought he would like to try it for him- 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 165 

self. So, when the farmer had filled his basket 
with seed-potatoes, Joe said, "Mr. Brown, I have 
a cent I would like to invest in a potato." 

The farmer smiled a little as he picked out the 
largest potato he could find in the bin, and Joe 
went home very happy, planning his potato-patch. 
He counted the eyes in that potato ten times be- 
fore he reached home. The potato had eight eyes, 
and Joe figured that, according to what Farmer 
Brown said, he could plant four hills of potatoes if 
he cut the eyes out in the proper way. 

Now it would take too long to tell how many 
times Joe hoed and watered his potato-patch; 
but one day late in the fall he was very busy, and 
Carl did not see much of him until about five o'clock 
in the evening. Then he saw Joe going down the 
street with a wheelbarrow. 

"Hello, Joe, what you got there?" 

"Potatoes," replied Joe. 

Carl became interested at once, and Joe told his 
story of how he had bought a potato of Farmer 
Brown with his dull cent, and now he was going to 
market with a lot of as fine potatoes as you ever 
saw. 

"Why, Joe, you will get fifty cents at least for 
those potatoes," said Carl. "I wish I had bought 
potatoes with my cent and started a garden. I've 
got it all wrapped up at home, and put away in a 



166 ON THE HIGHWAY 

drawer; and it is still a cent. You used yours, 
and now have fifty cents instead of one cent. I 
tell you I am not going to leave that cent there any 
longer, for I believe there is a better use for money 
than keeping it hidden away." 

"Right you are," said Joe as he trundled his 
wheelbarrow along. 



SPRING FLOWERS AND THE RISEN 
CHRIST 

(Matt. 28: 1-8) 

Have the following exercise carried out by four 
of the pupils: 

I. 

A child will come forward with a bulb in his 
hand and say: 



I hold in my hand a little dried-up bulb. 
They tell me that within it is life. I cannot 
see how this can be, for there is neither root 
nor stalk. Just these brown, dry husks. 
Surely no life can come from this! 



II. 

A child comes forward with a cross. This may 
be made of slender sticks wound with white cot- 
ton batting. 



167 



168 ON THE HIGHWAY 



I had a Friend whose "life was the light of 
men"; but He was crucified on the cross, and 
they buried Him in a tomb, and sealed it with 
a great stone. They tell me He will come forth 
out of the tomb, but I do not see how this can 
be. 



III. 

A child will come forward with an Easter lily. 
If possible, have a potted plant for this. 



I hold in my hand a lily, pure, spotless, and 
fragrant. A short time ago it was a dry bulb, 
which we buried in the earth. It burst forth in 
all this beauty. This is resurrection. 



IV. 

A child will come forward with a crown in his 
hand, which he will raise and place on his head as 
he speaks the last sentence. 



The angels broke the seal and rolled the stone 
away, and Christ came forth, a King. This is 
resurrection. We too may rise, and wear 
the crown of rejoicing that fadeth not away. 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 169 

It would be very well to have the four pupils 
who take part in this sing a simple Easter song 
at the close of the exercise. 

The following recitation may be used: 

Earth, throughout thy borders 

Re-don thy fairest dress; 
And everywhere, Nature, 

Throb with new happiness; 
Once more to new creation 

Awake, and death gainsay, 
For death is swallowed up of life, 

And Christ is risen to-day! 

Let peals of jubilation 

Ring out in all the lands; 
With hearts of deep elation 

Let sea with sea clasp hands; 
Let one supreme Te Deum 

Roll round the world's highway, 
For death is swallowed up of life, 

And Christ is risen to-day! 

GEORGE NEWELL LOVEJOY 



A SHIPWRECK 

(Acts 27:9-44) 

The Scripture lesson is too long to be read with 
profit to the pupils; so a good way would be to 
divide it into sections. Let one tell about the 
storm at sea, how Paul advised the sailors not to 
sail at that time, how the sailors ignored his words, 
etc. Have another tell about the visit of the angel 
to Paul, and its result; another, about the sailors' 
fear of being dashed on the rocks, their casting 
out anchors, and Paul's reassurance and faith; 
another may finish the story of their breaking their 
fast, and the other events that followed, closing 
with their escape to land on pieces of the wreck. 
Told in this way, the story will be very interesting. 

The lessons from the story may be drawn from 
the pupils. They may be summed up as follows: 

First. It is better to follow the advice of a wise 
God-fearing person than to go on blindly in our own 
way. 

Second. If we trust God, the angels will not be 
very far away. 

Third. Use the anchor of faith, or we shall be 
dashed upon the rocks of sin and perish. 

170 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 171 

Fourth. Take care of health, so that we may 
have strength to meet difficulties. Thank God for 
what He gives us. 

Fifth. When the storm of life is fierce and its 
waves high, we may trust ourselves to God's care, 
and He will bring us safely to land. 

A very pretty gift for this lesson would be an 
anchor cut from tinted cardboard, with the word 
"Faith" printed on it. Give one to each pupil 
at the close of the lesson. 

The sentence prayers following will be a request 
to God for more faith. 

So I go on not knowing; I would not if I might; 
I'd rather walk in the dark with God than go alone in 

the light. 
Vd rather walk with Him by faith than walk alone by 

sight. 

— MARY G. BRAINARD 



HOW CHRIST WANTS US TO CARE 
FOR OUR BODIES 

(Rom. 12: 1) 

The materials for the object-lesson are a vase, 
a pan of water, dry cloth, different kinds of weeds, 
some of which should be poisonous (care must be 
taken not to use any that are poisonous to touch) 
and some ill-smelling. Also procure some beautiful, 
sweet-smelling flowers, and some slips of paper on 
which are written the names of different kinds of 
sins that spoil our lives and of things that make 
our lives good and beautiful. Pin these slips on the 
weeds and the flowers. Make the outside of the 
vase look soiled and dirty. Fill the vase with 
the ill-smelling weeds, and you are ready to begin 
the lesson-talk. 

The vase represents our bodies. What is the 
matter with the vase before us? Does it remind 
you of some boys and girls? Its beauty is all covered 
up and spoiled with dirt. I have seen boys and girls 
whose beauty was spoiled by being covered up with 
something that looks much like that which is spoil- 
ing the vase. Their finger-nails were edged with 

172 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 173 

black; their hair was uncombed; their teeth needed 
brushing; and their clothes were soiled and untidy. 
Now, do you think there is any need that any boy 
or girl should go about like that? Pass the vase 
among the pupils, and ask them to examine and 
smell the contents. Explain that some of the weeds 
are poisonous, others ill-smelling and offensive, and 
others a perfect nuisance because they always crowd 
out the good plants. Take out the weeds one by 
one, and read the slip attached to each. The weeds 
represent the little sins that get into our hearts, 
spoil and poison them, and crowd out the good. 

Now empty the vase, and wash it in the basin 
of water; then wipe it dry with the cloth. This 
illustrates how we may purify our bodies. Lead 
the pupils to tell how to be neat and tidy and how 
to take care of their bodies. 

Put the flowers into the vase one by one. Read 
the slips which show the good and beautiful things 
that we should have in our hearts. Have the pupils 
name other ways in which we may consecrate our 
bodies. When the flowers are all in the vase, pass 
it among the pupils, and let them admire and smell 
them. The contrast between the first state of the 
vase and the last will make an enduring impression 
on the minds of the children. 

Close with the beautiful hymn, "Take my life, 
and let it be," by Frances R. Havergal. 



TALKING TO GOD 

(Eph. 6: 18; Gen. 18: 16-33) 

Bring to the class a letter, a telegram, and the 
picture of a telephone. Use these in the object- 
lesson to show the different means of communicat- 
ing with friends. 

Show the objects, and lead the pupils to discuss 
them. Ask whether there is any other way of com- 
municating with God when we want to ask some- 
thing. 

Ask in what way Abraham communicated with 
God when he wanted to ask something. 

Ask the pupils how they ask father or mother for 
something they want. 

These suggestions will bring out the thought very 
forcibly that, when we want to tell God anything, 
we can use the easiest way of all. Just talk to Him. 

Draw three braces on the blackboard. In front 
of one write the words "How Abraham Prayed," 
in front of another, "How Jesus Prayed," in front 
of the last, "How We Should Pray." 

Have the braces filled, one at a time, in the order 
named. They will work out somewhat as follows: 

174 



How Jesus 
Prayed 



How We 

Should Pray' 



NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 175 

f Earnestly 
How Abraham J Simply 
Prayed 1 Repeatedly 

[ As to a friend 
As a child would ask his father 
When in trouble 
When He needed help 
Asked repeatedly 
Often 

Ask for what we need 

Ask for help 

Often 

Believing 

Trusting 

Urge this thought: We speak just to God, not 
to those present or to the teacher, but just to God, 
who is listening for little voices. 

The Prayers 

"Z was in heaven one day ichen all the prayers 
Came in, and angels bore them up the stairs 

Unto a place where he 

Who was ordained such ministry 
Should sort them so that in that palace bright 
The presence-chamber might be duly dight; 
For they were like to flowers of various bloom 9 
And a divinest fragrance filled the room. 
Then did I see the great sorter choose 
One flower that seemed to be a hedgeling rose, 

And from the tangled press 



176 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Of that irregular loveliness 
Set it apart, and, * This, 9 I heard him say, 
' Is for the Master '; so upon his way 
He would have passed; then I to him, 
' Whence is this rose, thou of cherubim 
The chief est?' 6 Knowest thou not? 9 he said, and 

smiled; 
6 This is the first prayer of a little child. 999 



MAKING THE BEST OF THINGS 

(Phil. 4:4-7, 11, 12) 

Write near the top of the blackboard the words, 
"Make the best of things." Draw a brace; 
in front of it write, "What things?" Then have 
the pupils name things in our lives that we should 
make the best of. Write them in the brace as they 
are named. 

In front of another brace write the word "How?" 
The pupils will suggest ways of making the best of 
things. Fill the brace as they answer. 

It will work out somewhat as follows: 



What 
Things? 



How? < 



Hard work 
Hard lessons 
Poor clothes 
Unkindness in others 
Giving up to others 
Slights 

Prayer 
Patience 
Joyfulness 
Smiles 
Songs 
Sacrifice 
Kindness 
177 



178 ON THE HIGHWAY 

You will find that your pupils will think of enough 
answers to these questions to fill large braces. 

Lead the pupils to tell how Christ made the best 
of things. They will recall incidents of His life 
that will illustrate the topic. 

Make the Best of It 

If at dawn in the morning the rising-bell rings, 
And you're sleepy, and hate to be bothered with things, 
Make the best of it 

If you come in too late and the coffee is cold, 
If the meat and potatoes are soggy, don't scold; 
Make the best of it. 

If your mother is baking, and calls for some wood, 
When you want to play ball, skate, or coast, just be good; 
Make the best of it. 

If an errand's to run, and you're called on to go 
Just as Ned comes to help you build forts out of snow; 
Make the best of it. 

If the world or the people should e'er use you ill, 
If your work seems too hard, press right on, trust God, 
still; 

Make the best of it. 



HOW TO KEEP SWEET 

(Col. 3:8-15) 

The following is a suggested chalk-talk: 

Pupils, I am going to make a garden to-day; 
and all must help me, or I fear the weeds will grow 
so fast that we shall not raise a good crop. Now 
all watch me while I make the fence. Will some one 
tell me why we put a high fence around the garden? 

Yes, to keep out chickens, dogs, and other things 
which would destroy the seeds we have planted. 

Will the fence keep out all the things that destroy 
a garden? Fred says it will not. Now, Fred, tell 
us what there are that the fence will not keep out. 

"Weeds," did I hear you say? Now I am going 
to name this garden "our tempers," and O, such 
a lot of weeds are growing here! What shall we 
name the weeds in this garden? Angry words, un- 
kind words, etc. What shall we do about the weeds? 

Floyd, tell me what your father does when the 
weeds grow in his garden. 

He gets a man to help hoe them out, does he? 
(Draw a hoe.) 

179 



180 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Now we cannot get the weeds out of our garden 
alone; and, if we let them grow, they will soon 
crowd out everything else, and "our tempers" will 
just be full of angry words, sour looks, and spiteful 
replies. Whom can we get to help hoe out the weeds? 

Jessie says, "Jesus will help us." 

We will name the hoe "Bible," and bow our 
heads, and each one will ask Jesus to help us get 
sweet tempers. 

Russell H. Conwell tells this story: 

"My home was in the Berkshire Hills. One 
evening, tired out with the toil of the day, I thought 
to leave my children and walk up the hill to see 
the mountaineer. 

"As I crossed the brook and started up the hill- 
side, I heard the voice of my little child calling, 
'Papa, hurry and catch up with the sunshine.' 

"To please my little girl, I quickened my steps, 
and soon found my head in the sunlight while my 
feet were in the shadow. So on I went all the way 
up the hill with my head in the sunlight and my 
feet in the shadow, till all the glory of the Berk- 
shire sunset burst on my vision." 

The story brings us this lesson: We may keep 
our tempers sweet by keeping our heads in God's 
sunlight, even if we do walk in a world shadowed 
with sin; and by and by we shall see the glory of 
eternity burst on our vision. 



A MISSIONARY LESSON 

(2 Thess. 3: 1) 

Ask each member of the class to find out the name 
and residence of one missionary, and learn all he 
can about him and the work he is trying to do. 
Get a sheet of cardboard and cut it into cards about 
three by five inches in size. 

The children should press some flowers, and 
paste them neatly on the cards, leaving room to 
write a pretty verse or a kind message, and a pupil's 
name. Autumn leaves may be used in place of the 
pressed flowers if you desire. 

If possible, get a kodak picture of your class. 
If not, print the name of your class neatly on one 
card for the cover. Have two holes punched in 
one end of each card. You can get this done at a 
lawyer's office. Have each pupil write a greeting 
and his name on a card; then tie all the cards to- 
gether with a fluffy bunch of baby ribbon. 

This will form a pretty autograph album, and 
may be sent to a missionary. The familiar home 
flowers or leaves with the greetings will gladden a 
heart that longs for a sight of "home things." 

181 



182 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Several of these albums may be made and sent to as 
many missionaries. 

Have the missionary committee make a lot of 
penny banks, and give one to each pupil two or 
three weeks before this lesson. These should be 
made out of light-weight cardboard as follows: 
Cut a piece of cardboard three inches long and 
two and a quarter inches wide. Make a hole near 
one end of the short side large enough to put a 
cent through. Fasten the ends together with paste. 
Cut slits a quarter of an inch deep and an eighth 
of an inch apart all around both ends of the tube. 
Bend these in. Cut a round piece of cardboard the 
size of a quarter of a dollar for the top of the bank, 
and a piece an inch and a half square for the bottom. 
Paste these on the ends of the tube, taking care 
to put the round piece on the end that has the 
holes for putting the pennies through. Lay a little 
weight on top till it dries. If the ends are made 
of different-colored cardboard, the effect is very 
pleasing to the children. 

One of these little banks will entice many pen- 
nies. If the end is torn, open carefully when the 
money is taken out; it can be pasted on and used 
again. These banks should be in charge of the mis- 
sionary committee. 



WHAT JESUS BORE FOR US 

(1 Pet. 2: 21-25) 

Prepare for your lesson some little cards in the 
following manner: 

Get a number of very small branches from a tree, 
and cut them up into short lengths, so that half of 
them will be two inches long, and the other half, 
three inches long. Make cards two by three inches 
in size. Fasten the little sticks on the cards in the 
shape of a cross. These can be fastened together 
on the card with a needle and thread. On the 
lower right-hand corner of the card write the refer- 
ence 1 Pet. 2:24. Prepare enough of these cards 
to give one to each pupil and a few extra ones that 
may be sent to the sick or shut-ins. 

Write the subject of the lesson at the top of the 
blackboard. Have the pupils name things that 
Christ bore for us. Begin with the Babe in the 
manger, and go with them step by step through 
Christ's life; and, as the things He bore for us are 
named, have them written on the blackboard. Dwell 
on the last week of His life, the scene in the garden, 
His betrayal, His trial before Pilate, the journey 

183 



184 ON THE HIGHWAY 

from the prison to the cross, the crucifixion, the 
mocking, the casting lots for His garments, and 
the burial. 

Try to impress on the class that Christ bore all of 
this for each one of us, that He bore it all to save us. 
Then lead the children to tell what we should do in 
return for this sacrifice and suffering. 



VANITY FAIR 

(1 John 2:15; Matt. 4:8-10) 

You will need a balance for an object-lesson, 
You may be able to get one from your druggist or 
dentist. If you cannot, make it as follows: 

The material will consist of some stiff paste- 
board, a shallow pasteboard box, and some string. 
Cut the beam, standard, and pans out of the heavy 
pasteboard. The beam should be ten inches long 
and an inch wide at the centre, tapering to half an 
inch at the ends. The pans are square pieces of 
pasteboard; tie four cords, each five inches long, 
to the four corners of each square and fix the ends 
of the cords to the ends of the beam. Cut a nar- 
row slit in the centre of the box, put the standard 
through, and fasten the centre of the beam to the 
top by putting a pin through and bending it at 
both ends. 

Have one of the pupils read about Vanity Fair 
from "Pilgrim's Progress." The pupils will readily 
see that it means the world with its vanities and sin. 
Have another pupil tell about Faithful, and how he 
was burned at the stake. 

185 



186 ON THE HIGHWAY 

Pass the slips of paper among the pupils, and ask 
each one to write on his slip some vanity or sin we 
should avoid. Have several already written out; 
put these in one pan of the balance; and let each 
be discussed by the pupils. Put in some black 
cards to represent sin, some red cards to represent 
murder, envy, etc.; also put in a stick to represent 
the stake at which Faithful was burned. 

Have the pupils each lay his slip in the pan. 
In the other pan put a card on which these words 
have been written: " The chariot and horses which 
carried Faithful to the celestial gate.' 5 This will 
be more attractive if a chariot and horses are sketched 
on the card. It should be heavy enough to raise 
the opposite pan. A small weight may be attached 
to the back of the card for this purpose. 

Close with the beautiful lesson contained in the 
Scripture text, of how Christ resisted all these things 
and came through the world pure and unspotted, 
and He is ready to help us conquer. 



HEAVEN 

(Rev. 21:1-7) 

After the reading of the lesson outline some open 
gates on the blackboard. This will help to fasten 
the attention of the pupils on the subject. Above 
the gates print or write the word "Heaven." Now 
ask each pupil to rise and tell what he wants most 
in all the world; what he would ask if he could have 
anything he might wish for. As each tells what he 
wants, write it on the blackboard. When all are 
through, ask the children to turn to 1 Cor. 2: 9, and 
read it in concert. Then, step by step, lead the 
children to see that the very best we can imagine 
will be as nothing when Jesus comes; that, even if 
we have many beautiful things in this world, there 
will be far more beautiful things in the New Jeru- 
salem. 

Draw a brace in front of the word " Heaven,'' 
and ask one of the pupils to read Rev. 21 : 4. Ask 
the pupils if they ever knew any one that had never 
cried, that had never sorrowed or suffered pain. 
Then write in the brace, "No tears," "No sorrow," 
"No pain," "No crying," "No night." Ask the 

187 



188 ON THE HIGHWAY 

pupils to name other things that will not be found 
in heaven; also things that we shall have there, 
such as the water of life, the Lamb of God, a man- 
sion, etc. 

Lead the pupils to tell how we must live if we 
are going to be with Jesus when He comes, and 
enjoy the things He has prepared for those who 
are worthy. 

Teach Rev. 21 : 7 for a memory verse. 

What I Would Be 

I would be true, for there are those who trust me; 

I would be pure, for there are those who care; 
I would be strong, for there is much to suffer; 

I would be brave, for there is much to dare; 

I would be friend of all — the foe, the friendless; 

I would be giving and forget the gift; 
I would be humble, for I know my weakness; 

I would look up — and laugh — and love — and lift 

HOWARD ARNOLD WALTER 



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